


Fighting the Embrace

by Daryah



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Cannon Divergence, Episode: s03e12 New York City Serenade, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-09-22
Packaged: 2018-07-15 07:32:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 41,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7213444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daryah/pseuds/Daryah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Instead of maintaining her usual distance, Emma embraces Hook when she regains her memories in New York. Because of her actions, Emma must face her true feelings for Hook as she fights for her family and the future of Storybrooke. Cannon divergence from 'New York City Seranade' based on a photo of an improved hug that did not make the episode.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing except my delusions.  
> Note: This was originally posted on Fanfiction.net under my name EmmaJones13. This is why the first three chapters are all posted together. Any works will be posted there first, then here immediately after.

Chapter 1

The day started out normal enough. Emma got up, make breakfast for her and Henry before the kid had to get to school. Until there was a knock on their apartment door. Henry looked curiously at his mother.  
"Are you expecting anyone?" Henry asked.  
"No," Emma responded. Curiously, she answered the door.  
As soon as she opened the door, she was stunned. There standing before her was a strikingly handsome man. He was dressed in head to toe black leather, his long coat hanging behind him. He had dark hair, almost black, and the most piercing blue eyes she had ever seen rimmed by kohl. He looked at her as if she were his greatest treasure that he had lost long ago, only to finally find again.  
"Swan," he breathed. Before Emma could react, he pulled her to him and kissed her.  
Emma was shocked, but quickly regained her bearings. She pulled away from him an kneed him in a highly sensitive area.  
"What the hell?" She exclaimed.  
The man seemed just as mystified. "It didn't work. Why didn't it bloody work?"  
Emma looked at him. "Who the hell are you?"  
The man gazed right back at her. "Swan, you know me. It's me, Captain Hook. Killian Jones. Your family needs you, they are in danger."  
Emma just looked at him, disbelief coloring her features. She shut the door on him, cutting of his cries that her family needed her and that she needed to remember.  
Nothing about the situation sat right with Emma. How did he find her? As if it wasn't strange enough for a man dressed in leather with a hook showing up to her door and kissing her, claiming he was trying to help her remember. Then her date with Walsh, where he showed up, claiming he knew her better than she knew himself, and gave her the slip that led to Neal's apartment. Now, as she gazed at the pictures of her and her son with people she has no recollection of, she wondered if perhaps the Captain Hook wannabe really was telling her the truth.  
She waited for him outside of the police station, having decided to drop the charges against the pirate. She soon saw him emerge, clicking his hand into place.  
"Hey, we need to talk."  
"Swan," Killian said in way of greeting. "I knew you wouldn't let me rot in that cage. I've been in my fair share of brigs, but none as barbaric as that. They force fed me something called bologna." Killian finished his greeting indignantly.  
Emma rolled her eyes at him, waving the photos at him. " What the hell are these? We never lived in a town called Storybrooke. We never took a flight from Boston to New York. We never did any of this."  
"So you believe me then?" Killian asked.  
Emma looked exasperated. "I don't know, you could have photoshopped these pictures."  
"Photoshopped?"  
"Faked."  
"If you think these are forgeries then why did you spring me from the brig? Because as much as you deny it, deep down, you know something's wrong. Deep down, you know I'm right."  
Doubt crept through Emma. "It's not possible. How can I forget all of this?"  
"I promise you, there's an explanation ." Killian pressed.  
"Not one that makes sense."  
Killian offered her the blue potion. "If you drink this, it will."  
Emma shook her head. "If-if what you're saying is true... I'd have to give up my life here."  
"It's all based on lies." Killian looked at her, a hint of desperation in his eyes, trying to convince her.  
Emma, for some reason trusting him, found herself close to giving in. "It's real, and it's pretty good. I have Henry, a job, a guy I love."  
Emma thought she saw something shift in Killian's gaze at the mention of Walsh, as though he was in pain.  
"Perhaps there's a man that you love in the life that you've lost. Regardless, if you want to find out the truth, drink up. Do you really want to live a life of lies? You know this isn't right. Trust your gut, Swan. It will tell you what to do."  
"Henry always says that." At that moment, Emma knew.  
Killian knew he had her. " Then if you won't listen to me,then listen to your boy."  
Emma hesitated for just a moment, staring at the potion, gathering her nerves. She then looked at Killian, his eyes bearing straight into hers. Eyes still locked with his, Emma took the potion from him and drank it.  
A sudden rush of memories assaulted Emma. Henry at her doorstep. Storybrooke. Regina. Fighting a dragon. Henry under a sleeping curse. Magic in Storybrooke. Her parents, Snow White and Prince Charming. The Killian out of a pile of taking Henry to Neverland. Kissing Killian. Pan's curse.  
After Emma regained her bearings, Emma gazed at Killian.  
"Hook," Emma said in recognition.  
Killian smiled at her. "Did you miss me?"  
Emma rushed to embraced him, as if by instinct, not even thinking of the action.  
Without a hint of hesitation, Killian returned her hug. "Well, I guess you did miss me."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my delusions.

hapter 2

"Snow and the Queen settled their differences. Frankly, I was bored. I had a life to get back to- a pirate's life." said Killian.  
After Emma regained her senses from her impromptu hug, she was scared. She did not mean to hug him. She did not mean to let him in. She did not mean to show him how much she missed him when she remembered him. But she did embrace him. She did let him in. She did show how much she missed him. Emma told herself it was because he was the only link to her old life she had now, to her parents. She could lie to herself.  
They returned to her apartment quietly, not wanting to discuss the goings on of magic and curses out in the open. Even in New York, some things wouldn't go unnoticed. They knew they would not be disturbed, Henry away at his friend's for the entire night.  
"Glad to see you haven't changed." replied Emma as she handed Killian a rum-filled glass. Killian gazed at her.  
"There wasn't anything for me in the Enchanted Forest. Why would I stay?" Killian held his glass out to toast Emma. As she clinked her glass to his, he continued. "All was well... until I got a message saying that there was a new curse and that everyone had returned to Storybrooke. The message told me that the only hope was you."  
Emma stared at him in disbelief. "You came all the way back here to save my family?"  
Killian held her gaze, not breaking eye contact. "I came back to save you."  
Emma found herself feeling very flustered. This was why she should have stayed away. This is why she shouldn't have ran into his arms. She couldn't afford to have feeling for the man sitting before her. Breaking the spell, she quickly changed the subject.  
"Who could have done this?"  
"Spmeone powerful enough to reach into this world."  
Emma gave him an exasperated look. "Any more specific thoughts?"  
Killian looked amused. "Alas, you're the Savior- not me."  
Emma sighed wistfully. "Do you know what I was yesterday? A mother, till you showed up and started poking holes in everything I thought was real." Killian looked at her intently. "When I drank that potion, it was like waking up from a dream- a really good dream."  
Killian looked somewhat remorseful, but he could not bring himself to regret his actions. Not if he could bring her back to the life she was meant for.  
"Well, you have what matters most- your son."  
The exasperated look returned to Emma's features. "Now I have to figure out how to explain this to him."  
The look remorse deepened on Killian's face. "Alas, I could only scavenge together enough for one dose of memory potion." He knew how difficult this was going to be for Emma.  
"Better start figuring out what I'm gonna tell him." They both slipped into silence, drinking their rum and contemplating their situation.  
A knock sounded through the small apartment.  
Killian turned his gaze from the door to Emma. "Who's that?"  
Emma looked guilty for forgetting her fiancé- or was he still her boyfriend, she hadn't said yes- and looked at the door. "Walsh. Henry invited him." Though the thought was very brief, Emma wondered if the man sitting across her at her table was the reason she had not given Walsh an answer to his proposal, if even though she forgot her previous life, her subconscious know there was someone else.  
Killian started to rise from his seat. "I could get rid of him."  
"No," Emma panicked. "My memories might not be real, but he is... and so are the eight months we spent together." She sighed, "I owe him an explanation."  
"What are you going to tell him?"  
Emma sighed again. "I don't know. But I do care about him too much to drag him into all this. Wait here."  
Emma made her way out of the apartment, not looking at Killian's slightly hurt expression as she went.

Emma could not believe this. For a year, she had a normal life. Now she finds that even though she thought she had left the fairy tales behind, they never left her. The man she was with for eight months was a flying monkey. A very frightening flying monkey if she was honest with herself.  
Emma heard hurried running up the stairs along with Killian's frantic voice.  
"Swan! What the blazes was that?" he exclaimed as he burst through the door.  
Killian looked at her checking to see if she was alright. Emma looked back over the ledge where Walsh fell over. "A reminder that I was never safe, that what I wanted, what I thought I could have was not in the cards for the Savior." Killian looked at her apologetically. Emma looked back at him. "We leave in the morning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my delusions.

Emma awoke early. She glanced at her clock, grumbling when she saw that it was only five thirty. She burrowed her head back into her pillow, only to remember the events of yesterday.  
She still did not know how to explain everything to Henry. She and Killian had talked about it, but had yet to come up with a viable solution. What she did know, however, was that she had to come up with a way to avoid Henry finding the pirate currently sleeping on her couch.  
Emma padded through her bedroom to the living room, and went to stand in front of the couch. As she looked at Killian's sleeping form, she felt slighly guilty. He looked peaceful, and Emma found that she didn't want to wake him, though she knew Henry would be coming home soon to get ready for school.  
"Hook," Emma said as she gently shook him awake.  
Killian lightly grumbled before he looked her in the eye. "Morning Swan." He sat up from the couch. Emma studied him, finding his sleep mussed hair and smudged eyeliner rather endearing.  
Emma snapped out of it. "Henry will be home soon. I don't think it would be a good idea for you to be here when he gets here."  
Emma and Killian's thoughts both went immediately to Walsh. Explaining to Henry why Emma had a man staying in her apartment who was not the fiancé she supposably had staying the night last night would not be a fun endeavor.  
Killian got up from the couch and grabbed his long leather coat.  
"Alright Swan. I'll go out for a bit, and I shall return in two hours. Will that give you enough time?"  
Emma nodded. "Yes, that should be enough."  
"Then I shall take my leave."  
She walked him to the door. For some reason, Emma couldn't help but be uneasy about him leaving, even if it was just for a couple hours. She told herself it was because she finally had a link to her past life, and was nervous that when he went out, he would take away all traces of that life.  
"Be safe." She couldn't stop herself from telling him.  
Killian glanced back at her from the hallway. "Don't worry, Swan. If I'm anything, it's a survivor."  
And with that, he grinned at her, turned, and descended the stairs, leaving her with her thoughts on what was coming. Emma closed the door, and retreated to her room to get ready for the day.

Emma stood at the stove absentmindedly making Henry breakfast. She kept finding herself watching the clock, anxious for Killian to arrive so they could leave for Storybrooke. She was growing more and more nervous as the minutes passed by. She had lived without the memories of her life for a year, and she was about to walk right back into a fairy tale.  
Henry's voice broke through her stupor. "Mom! Mom! You're hurting the eggs."  
Emma shook herself. "Right," she said. She poured the eggs into the pan. Staring at the eggs, she decided to test the waters to see how Henry would react to walking into a fairy tale. She turned to look at him. "Can I ask you something?"  
Henry looked at his mom curiously. "Sure."  
"Do you believe in magic?" Henry took on a slightly amused expression. "Of course. And the tooth fairy, and Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny. If it gets me a present, I believe."  
Henry then gave her a look that was slightly curious, and slightly worried. "You're not sure you made the right decision, are you?"  
Emma tried to deflect his question. "I just didn't feel like pancakes."  
"About Walsh," Henry clarified.  
Emma couldn't help the smirk that crossed her lips. "Oh. I made the right decision. I'm certain. It's gonna be you and me, kid, for a little while. Here you go." she handed him the eggs.  
Henry studied her for a brief second, and assessed that Emma was telling the truth and was sure of her decision. "As long as you're happy." Henry took a quick bite of the eggs. "Tasty, but I got to run. I'm gonna be late for school. You kind of overslept."  
Emma shook her head. After Killian had left, Emma had tried to come up with an explanation for why they were leaving, and had lost track of time. She turned back to Henry from the dishes. "Nope. No school today. How about we go on a trip?"  
"Like a vacation?" Henry asked excitedly.  
"Like I have a new case, and it's in Maine, and it might take me a while, and I think we should go. It would be an adventure."  
Emma saw his excitement growing. "No school? A trip with you? Sold."  
Emma grinned. "Good, 'cause I already packed."  
"When do we leave?" Henry asked, a slightly troubled expression gracing his face. It seemed strange to him that his mom would take a case that would make them leave so suddenly.  
Now it was Emma's turn to be apprehensive. "Now."  
Before Henry could inquire further, there was a knock on the door. Emma breathed a sigh of relief and felt herself instantly relax now that Killian had returned.  
"Are you expecting someone?" Henry asked.  
Emma suddenly looked unsure, then resolved. It was time to bite the bullet. "Yeah."  
Emma opened the door and let Killian in. He grinned at her. "Are you ready Swan?"  
"Uh... Henry, this is Killian. He's- I'm, um, I'm helping him with his case." Emma was suddenly nervous. She knew Henry would see him as the man she had arrested for assault only yesterday.  
Henry looked at him apprehensively. "Did you skip bail?"  
Killian grinned. "Oh, he's still a little spitfire."  
Henry looked at him curiously. "Still?"  
"He's not a perp. He's a client." Emma scrambled.  
Henry looked at his mom briefly, then returned his gaze back to Killian. "Why are you dressed like that?"  
Killian visibly bristled. "Why are you dressed like that?"  
Emma, though amused, knew she has to quickly diffuse the situation. "Alright, alright. Just make yourself useful, Killian, and get our bags. Henry, lend him a hand." Emma couldn't help smirk at her own joke as she briefly remembering in Neverland when Killian offered her a hand, and she though he was trying to make a poor joke.  
Henry looked back at his mom. "Wait. W-we're really going?"  
"Yes. I just need one last thing."  
Emma went to the closet in the hallway and located her red leather jacket that had sat in there for the past year. As she shrugged it on, she knew she was ready.

Emma knew it was going to be a long car trip. I was going to take eight hours to get from New York to Maine, then another two hours to get to Storybrooke. The trip began rather tense, the New York traffic wearing at all of their nerves. Henry stayed silent, allowing Emma to concentrait navigating the busy streets. Emma found herself getting agitated, knowing this was why she hated driving in the city so much. Even Killian, who has only been in a car a few times, often found himself muttering "What the bloody hell is this idiot doing?" to which Emma would always respond "Welcome to New York." As soon as they left the city, they all released a collective sigh of relief.  
Henry then saw it fit to resume his earlier questioning. "So why are we going to Maine? I know you said its for a case, but why so far away?"  
Emma and Killian shared a look in the front seat before Killian responded, "Because I am aware that your mother is the best at what she does, so it only seemed fitting that she would assist me."  
Henry seemed complacent for a second. "So what's the case?"  
"Missing person," Emma responded immediately.  
Henry seemed satisfied with the answer. "Can we get something to eat?"  
Emma was glad Henry had decided to change the subject. "Sure kid."  
After Henry decided where he wanted to go, Emma pulled into a drive through and asked Killian if hes wanted anything, and after his perplexed look, realized that the only food from this realm that he was really familiar with was Granny's or hospital food. In the end, she just ordered him the same thing she got. Killian looked at her greatfuly, and seemed to enjoy his food. If Henry noticed anything unusual about the exchange, he thankfully didn't say anything.  
To try to keep Henry occupied, Emma talked to him about school and his freinds, trying to ignore Killian watching her from the seat next to her.  
"I know that report is due in a month, so I really need to pick a book to do it on. I was thinking maybe Treasure Island. It seems like it would be a good book. Plus it's not too long. So Mr. Jones, how did you lose your hand?"  
Killian, who was taking a drink at the time, nearly choked. Emma looked horrified.  
"Henry!" She admonished. Emma looked at Killian, embarrassed and apologetic. Killian looked back at her, totally at ease, as if he knew the subject would come up eventually.  
"It's alright Swan," Killian told her softly. He reached over the center consol to briefly sqeeze her arm before turning back to look at Henry. "I was in a boating accident years ago, back when I was still very young." He gave Emma an amused wink.  
Despite his reassurances, Emma was still in disbelief that Henry asked Killian that. Killian saw Emma working herself up. "Love, seriously, it's alright. I knew the lad would ask sooner or later. It's fine."  
Emma briefly tore her eyes from the road just long enough to meet his gaze, and see that he truely was alright. As she looked back at the road, she felt himself start to relax.  
Henry, knowing that he was still in deep trouble. "I was really curious. I'm really sorry, Mr. Jones."  
Killian responded to him before Emma could. "It's alright lad."  
"You said boating, so you know how to sail?" Henry asked him.  
"Aye, that I do."  
"How long have you been sailing?"  
"As long as I can remember, it's honestly felt like centuries." Killian answered, turning a cheeky grin towards Emma. Emma rolled her eyes, but her smile ruined the effect.  
They engaged in easy conversation, and Emma felt herself further relax, joining into the playful banter. She eventually even allowed herself to forget that she was returning to her old home to break another curse.  
Eventually, right as they were nearing the Maine state border, Henry fell asleep, leaving Emma solely with Killian for companionship. With just him in her company, she was able to remember what she was walking into.  
"So you have no idea at all for what this curse does?" she asked Killian again in hushed tones as not to wake Henry.  
Killian glanced back at her sleeping son before turning back to her. "No, unfortunately. I had taken my leave shortly after we had arrived back into the Enchanted Forest."  
"I remember you telling me you went back to pirating, but what do you mean by that?" Emma looked at him curiously.  
Killian held her gaze. "I had received a bird with the message that another curse was coming. I knew you would be the only one who could break it, so I made my way back to this realm."  
Emma took a furtive glance back at her son before holding his gaze again. "How did you manage to get back to this realm? You of all people know how hard it is."  
"I was able to acquire a magic bean through a trade."  
Emma looked stunned. "How? I thought that they were gone."  
"Not gone, just extremely rare."  
Emma was curious. "So what did you trade?"  
It seemed like Killian's eyes softened in the dim light, but Emma knew she was imagining things. "Nothing of importance, love."  
Emma was curious, but decided not to push him. With the light from her headlights, she could vey faintly see the 'Welcome to Storybrooke' sign in the distance. Emma strengthened her resolve, but she sound herself scared. She was about to return to the life of evil queens, imps, and dragons. She glanced at Killian only to find him looking at her, seeing how she was reacting at the moment of truth. Killian reached for her hand and squoze it, giving her his silent reassurance. Emma couldn't help squeezing back. Emma took a deep breath, and felt the ripple as they crossed the barrier into Storybrooke. She silently released his hand.  
"We'll be in town in a few minutes," Emma told him keeping her eyes on the road.  
"Aye," Killian responded softly, still looking at her.  
Eventually, they entered the small town, and Emma parked the car across the street from Granny's. Whatever spell was between Emma and Killian was broken when she exited the car.  
Emma looked around as Killian climbed out of the car. "It's really really back," Emma said in a daze.  
Killian couldn't help glancing at her. "As quaint and homey as you remember?" he asked.  
"As cursed as I remember."  
Emma turned around at a faint clicking sound, seeing that Killian had traded his fake hand for his namesake. He looked at her proudly. "Now that's more like it, isn't it, Swan?"  
Emma looked at him in disbelief and pointed at Henry. "How are you gonna explain that to him?"  
"Well, that's your concern. Well, perhaps it will jog his memory." Killian told her. It was evident to Emma that now that they were back, Killian didn't see a reason to keep tiptoeing around Henry.  
Emma's expression was stern. "Or give him nightmares. Last time, this curse took away everyone's memories. This time..." she trailed off.  
"We don't know what it did." Killian told her.  
Emma knew it was time to take up her role as Savior again. She could feel her anxiety creep up on her with every word. "Then I'll find here and watch Henry. Don't wake him or scare him or- just let him sleep."  
"Aye. Where are you going?" Killian asked as she started to walk away.  
She turned her head to look at him. "To find my parents."  
Emma eventually made it back to Mary Margaret's loft. She was nervous. During the first curse, she didn't even know what they were her parents, and she didn't know what she would do if they forgot about her while she held her memories of them. Emma braced herself and knocked on the door.  
David Nolan opened the door. Emma was overjoyed to see her father again, but she knew she had to see if he remembered her first.  
Emma felt her nerves get the better of her as she began stammering. "Hi. Don't close the door. I- I- my name is-"  
"Emma," David said, joy evident in his eyes. He reached for her and hugged her, cradling her head just as he always had.  
"David?" she asked as she hugged him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my delusions.

Emma stayed in her fathers arms.

"You remember," David said, stunned.

"You remember." Emma was just as amazed as her father.

David pulled away to look at her. "Oh course we would. What are you doing here? What happened?"

Emma was quickly becoming overwhelmed with emotion. Her father remembered her. "Kill- Hook found me. He brought me here. He said you all were cursed."

David looked at her curiously for a moment then sighed. "We're back. We never left." He sighed again. "Well we don't know. We're trapped again."

"But you know who you are." To Emma, that was the most important thing.

"This curse, we don't know who did it, or why. But what we do know, the last year, it's been wiped away." David said, clearly troubled.

"Whiped away?"

"We were saying goodbye to you, like it was yesterday," David told.

Emma looked at him curiously."Then how do you know it's been a-"

"Emma?"

Emma looked up to see Mary Margaret descending the stairs. As soon as she reached Emma, she rushed to her, enveloping her into her arms. "Year?" Emma finished asking, stunned. She now knew how they knew it had been a year, seeing Mary Margaret. She was pregnant. Very pregnant.

David let out a soft chuckle. "As you can see, alots happened."

Mary Margaret let out a soft laugh. "Yeah. We just don't know what. The whole year is gone."

"Who would do this?" Emma asked. She couldn't believe her mother was pregnant.

"We don't know." Mary Maegaret told her.

Emma glanced at the clock."I've got to get back to Henry."

David and Mary Margaret looked at her curiously. "Where is he?" Her mother asked.

Emma suddenly looked slightly unsure, wondering how her parents would react. "I left him with Hook."

David raised an eyebrow, and Mary Margaret looked slightly concerned.

"He's fine, he was asleep when I left him. We'll get a room at Granny's. It will be much less suspicious than staying here."

 

"Okay. Henry's asleep upstairs. He wakes up, you two are helping me with the case, okay? So what the hell happened here? I mean besides the obvious."

After getting a room for her and Henry, and a room for Killian, Emma gathered her parents and Killian in the living area at Granny's. Henry woke only long enough to move from the car to the room before being overcome by sleep again.

Mary Margaret looked at her. "We don't know. We watched you drive over the town line with Henry, Regina started to cast her spell to take us back to the Enchanted Forest, then, everything went black."

"Next thing we remember is waking up in our beds like it was any other morning in Storybrooke," David finished.

Emma turned to her father. "Except it clearly wasn't."

"Almost harvest time but you can't remember the planting," Killian quipped. Emma, Mary Margaret, and David turned to him, all with incredulous looks on their faces. Killian held his gaze to David's, oblivious to the other's expressions. "That's bad luck mate."

Emma quickly moved to change the focus back to the previous topic. "Clearly a years passed. I was in New York. I know that it did."

"But we don't know where the hell we were. We don't even know if we left Storybrooke," David told her.

Killian looked back at David. "Aye, you did. I was with you all."

"In the Enchanted Forest?" Mary Margaret asked him.

Killian nodded his head. "Regina's spell brought us back. We spent a brief time with the prince and princess named Phillip and Aurora. But I wasn't feeling the community spirit, so I ventured off on my own. Last I saw of you lot, you were looking for a way into Regina's castle."

Emma took on a serious look. "And now you're cursed. Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Mary Margaret took on a thoughtful look. "Regina seems as clueless as the rest of us. I'm not sure she was involved in this."

Emma looked unsure. "So she says."

David was focused on Killian. "I don't understand. If you left the Enchanted Forest before the curse, how did you know to find Emma and come to Storybrooke?"

"As I was sailing the realms, a bird landed on my ship's wheel, with a note instructing me to retrieve Emma, and bring her back here. There was a small vial of memory potion tied to its leg."

"Who sent it?" Mary Margaret asked him.

Killian looked at her. "I assumed you did."

"Message by a bird, it does sound like you," David said, turning to his wife.

Leroy and Happy burst through the door. David turned to him. "What is it?"

"We lost another one," Leroy told him with a frustrated expression. "We're down to five now."

"Four actually. Bashful's not answering," stated Happy.

Emma looked at them. "Wait, what's going on?" she asked, slight panic creeping into her voice.

"Thank god you're back sister," Leroy said to Emma.

"It's not just our memories that are missing. Ever since we woke up, people have been disappearing." Snow told her.

Leroy's frustrated expression returned. "Who ever's cursed us is picking us off one by one."  
I own nothing except my delusions

Emma stayed in her fathers arms.

"You remember," David said, stunned.

"You remember." Emma was just as amazed as her father.

David pulled away to look at her. "Oh course we would. What are you doing here? What happened?"

Emma was quickly becoming overwhelmed with emotion. Her father remembered her. "Kill- Hook found me. He brought me here. He said you all were cursed."

David looked at her curiously for a moment then sighed. "We're back. We never left." He sighed again. "Well we don't know. We're trapped again."

"But you know who you are." To Emma, that was the most important thing.

"This curse, we don't know who did it, or why. But what we do know, the last year, it's been wiped away." David said, clearly troubled.

"Whiped away?"

"We were saying goodbye to you, like it was yesterday," David told.

Emma looked at him curiously."Then how do you know it's been a-"

"Emma?"

Emma looked up to see Mary Margaret descending the stairs. As soon as she reached Emma, she rushed to her, enveloping her into her arms. "Year?" Emma finished asking, stunned. She now knew how they knew it had been a year, seeing Mary Margaret. She was pregnant. Very pregnant.

David let out a soft chuckle. "As you can see, alots happened."

Mary Margaret let out a soft laugh. "Yeah. We just don't know what. The whole year is gone."

"Who would do this?" Emma asked. She couldn't believe her mother was pregnant.

"We don't know." Mary Maegaret told her.

Emma glanced at the clock."I've got to get back to Henry."

David and Mary Margaret looked at her curiously. "Where is he?" Her mother asked.

Emma suddenly looked slightly unsure, wondering how her parents would react. "I left him with Hook."

David raised an eyebrow, and Mary Margaret looked slightly concerned.

"He's fine, he was asleep when I left him. We'll get a room at Granny's. It will be much less suspicious than staying here."

"Okay. Henry's asleep upstairs. He wakes up, you two are helping me with the case, okay? So what the hell happened here? I mean besides the obvious."

After getting a room for her and Henry, and a room for Killian, Emma gathered her parents and Killian in the living area at Granny's. Henry woke only long enough to move from the car to the room before being overcome by sleep again.

Mary Margaret looked at her. "We don't know. We watched you drive over the town line with Henry, Regina started to cast her spell to take us back to the Enchanted Forest, then, everything went black."

"Next thing we remember is waking up in our beds like it was any other morning in Storybrooke," David finished.

Emma turned to her father. "Except it clearly wasn't."

"Almost harvest time but you can't remember the planting," Killian quipped. Emma, Mary Margaret, and David turned to him, all with incredulous looks on their faces. Killian held his gaze to David's, oblivious to the other's expressions. "That's bad luck mate."

Emma quickly moved to change the focus back to the previous topic. "Clearly a years passed. I was in New York. I know that it did."

"But we don't know where the hell we were. We don't even know if we left Storybrooke," David told her.

Killian looked back at David. "Aye, you did. I was with you all."

"In the Enchanted Forest?" Mary Margaret asked him.

Killian nodded his head. "Regina's spell brought us back. We spent a brief time with the prince and princess named Phillip and Aurora. But I wasn't feeling the community spirit, so I ventured off on my own. Last I saw of you lot, you were looking for a way into Regina's castle."

Emma took on a serious look. "And now you're cursed. Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Mary Margaret took on a thoughtful look. "Regina seems as clueless as the rest of us. I'm not sure she was involved in this."

Emma looked unsure. "So she says."

David was focused on Killian. "I don't understand. If you left the Enchanted Forest before the curse, how did you know to find Emma and come to Storybrooke?"

"As I was sailing the realms, a bird landed on my ship's wheel, with a note instructing me to retrieve Emma, and bring her back here. There was a small vial of memory potion tied to its leg."

"Who sent it?" Mary Margaret asked him.

Killian looked at her. "I assumed you did."

"Message by a bird, it does sound like you," David said, turning to his wife.

Leroy and Happy burst through the door. David turned to him. "What is it?"

"We lost another one," Leroy told him with a frustrated expression. "We're down to five now."

"Four actually. Bashful's not answering," stated Happy.

Emma looked at them. "Wait, what's going on?" she asked, slight panic creeping into her voice.

"Thank god you're back sister," Leroy said to Emma.

"It's not just our memories that are missing. Ever since we woke up, people have been disappearing." Snow told her.

Leroy's frustrated expression returned. "Who ever's cursed us is picking us off one by one."

"Who exactly is missing?" Emma asked to no one in particular.

"Aside from those dwarves we're not sure. There's been a lot of confusion over the past few days, it's been hard to keep track of everyone," David told her.

Emma's thoughts went to Henry's father. "Wait, Neal?" she asked softly. Emma thought she caught sight of a slightly pained look on Killian's face. She dismissed it as a trick of the light. Or that's what she told herself. Though Henry couldn't remember his father, she didn't want him to lose him again. "Was he here?"

Mary Margaret sounded hopeful. "Well we haven't found him yet."

Emma looked at her mother. "So he might have been taken too."

"My money's on yes," Leroy threw in.

"Leroy," Mary Margaret chastised. The dwarf in question looked unapologetic.

Killian, however, looked defeated. "He'll turn up Swan, he always does." Emma couldn't read Killian's expression. He was hiding behind his mask again. Emma wondered if she really had imagined the pain on his face a moment ago.

David seemed oblivious, focused on the missing people. "Folks have been camping in the woods towards the edge of town. Neal might be there."

"Or me may not have got swept up in the curse at all," said Mary Margaret.

Emma looked determined. "There's only one way to figure all this out. We need to get your memories back."

"How are we going to do that?"

"By finding out who took them in the first place."

After briefly discussing how to proceed the following day, everyone turned to go to their respective homes and rooms. Emma searched Killian's face for any sign of distress, but he met her gaze and bid her goodnight before turning on his heel to go to his room. Emma stood in her spot for a second more, then, shaking her head, went up to her room where Henry rested, unaware of the possibly dangers the next day would possibly bring.

 

Emma was faintly amused with how the people of Storybrooke were acting around Henry. She found it rather funny. Except for Regina. She felt for Regina, watching as the adoptive mother of her son looked at her son, unable to even speak to him. Emma offered multiple times to introduce her, but Regina had said it would be too hard for her. Emma understood, and instead of pushing, asked Regina to help her find who had taken everyones memories. Regina was more than willing.

While Regina was preforming her duties as mayor, Emma tagged along with David and Killian to the forest near the edge of the town line where an animal attack occurred, witnessed by some of the newcomers to Storybrooke.

"This- this is where he was taken," Robin breathlessly told them.

"I wouldn't step over that line if I were you," Emma told them as some of the men moved too close to the town line for her liking.

"Little John was carried away because he attempted to cross over that line?"

"Makes sense. The dwarves were checking the line to see if anyone was coming or going when they disappeared," David Toltec the group. "What exactly took Little John?"

Robin answered him. "We didn't get a good look. Some manner of beast with wings."

"Sounds a lot like the monster that attacked me in New York," Emma stated.

"The monster you were gonna marry?" Killian asked her in a slightly sarcastic tone, his eyes just slightly hiding something.

David looked from Killian to Emma. "You were gonna marry someone?"

Killian looked at David incredulously. "Did you just miss the part where I said monster?"

"We need to find Little John," Robin told them impatiently.

Emma started to plan. "It may lead us to everyone who's gone missing." She pointed to Robin. "David, take him and the rest of his-" She looked at Robin, questioning what to call his group.

"Merry men," Robin told her.

"Right. Them, and run a search grid and see if you can find any sign of the missing guy."

Killian looked are her curiously. "You're not joining us, Swan?"

"Not yet, Regina was right, I'm not going to figure out who's behind this curse one by one."

"What are you gonna do?" David asked her.

"I'm going to talk to everybody."

She turned away, leaving the men to search for the missing men. She worried about them, hoping they would be safe and find their guy. She worried most about her father and Killian. She knew they could take care of themselves, but she couldn't help praying to whatever god was out there that they, especially Killian, remained safe.

 

Emma, Killian, David, Mary Margaret, and Regina huddled in the narrow hallway outside the loft so Henry would be none the wiser of what they were discussing. Emma knew it was urgent by the was David and Killian entered the loft, but Emma couldn't help the sigh of relief when she say them both unharmed. She looked at them, waiting for the news of what had happened. Needless to say, she was stunned with the news them men brought forth.

"They're being turned into flying monkeys?" Mary Margaret asked in disbelief.

"Yes. He took on simian form with the added bonus of wings." Killian responded.

Mary Margaret looked between the, slight panic creeping into her voice. "Do you think that's what happened to the missing dwarves too?"

David sounded tired. "It would explain why we haven't found any trace of them."

"And Neal?" Emma asked the men. This time she knew she saw Killian's expression shift. She knew she wasn't imagining it. She couldn't deny it to herself anymore.

"No sign of him either. Though it's possible."

"Wouldn't be the first flying monkey I've dated." Mary Margaret glanced at her curiously, but Emma was not in the mood to share about Walsh.

Regina looked like she was trying to decide something, or trying to believe it. "The person who escaped our trap appeared in a cloud or green smoke. And now there are flying monkeys in this town? I think I know exactly who cursed us."

"The Wicked Witch of the West?" Emma asked, coming to the realization of what she was talking about. She looked around at the others, waiting for someone to correct her. "Seriously? She's really too?"

Killian gave her an amused smirk. "Says the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming." Emma couldn't help return his grin. He did have a point.

She looked back to the rest of the group. "I don't get it. It's not like we're in Kansas. Why would the Wicked Witch of the West come to Storybrooke?"

"That's what we need to find out, along with why she took out memories," said Regina, as she turned to go back into the loft to say goodbye to Henry before she departed.

 

It was later after they got back to Granny's that Emma finally got a chance to briefly speak to Killian. She pushed Henry towards their room.

"Go on kid, I'll be up in a minute."

Henry looked back at her and nodded, opening the door and closing it firmly behind him.

Killian, sensing Emma wanted to speak with him, waited a few paces from his own door. "Is everything all right Swan?"

"Yeah," Emma responded a little too quickly. She caught herself, took a deep breath, and looked straight into his blue eyes. "Is everything okay with you, Hook?"

Killian quickly wondered if she noticed his reactions whenever she spoke of Neal. It didn't matter, Neal was to be her concern, he was her boy's father. Not him. He didn't matter to her. He shouldn't matter to her.

"I'm fine love. Aside from worrying about the flying monkeys plaguing the town, of course." Killian told her, using his usual bravado in hopes Emma wouldn't notice anything amiss.

Emma slowly nodded, but decided not to push him. "Okay. Thanks for all your help today, Hook."

"Anytime, Swan. Good night."

"Goodnight," she told him a few seconds too late, just as he began shutting his door. She turned to her own door and pushed it open. Henry was already asleep. She smiled softly when she saw him. For just a second, he reminded her of Killian when he had slept on her couch just two mornings ago.

Emma though about his response as she got ready for bed. "I'm fine, love," kept running thought her head. She didn't believe him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my delusions

Emma, Killian, Regina, David, and Mary Margaret were all huddled around the island in Mary Margaret's small loft.

"So now that we know who we're dealing with, how do we find this Wicked Witch?" David asked.

"Might I suggest we start by asking if anyone's seen a woman with green skin running around?" Killian answered somewhat sacrastically.

"We're cursed in Storybrooke. She'll look like any one of us." Regina told him.

Killian closed his eyes. He knew this would be difficult, and everything they had witnessed proved his suspicions correct.

"Then we start somewhere we know she's been- Regina's office," Emma offered.

Regina shook her head. "I went over it with a fine-toothed comb. She left no trace."

"But you were combing for magic," Emma said. "Maybe there's physical evidence that you missed."

"Good idea. We'll track her," David told his daughter.

Regina was growing annoyed. "If you want to waste your time playing Nancy Drew, be my guest. But we can't let Henry wander around alone with a witch and her flying monkeys out there."

"Well, especially since one of those flying monkeys could turn out to be his father," Killian said in a careless tone, as if he were hiding something. Emma narrowed her eyes. She had the same feeling something was wrong with him.

Mary Margaret looked at him as he spoke, then shifted her eyes down. "Still no sign of Neal?"

"No," Emma responded. She wanted to get off the subject after seeing, now multiple times, what it did to Killian.

Regina decided to refocus the group. "Point being, someone needs to protect Henry. He doesn't even know what's going on."

Emma looked at Regina. "I'm guessing you're volunteering?"

"If you find anything, call me," Regina said as she made her way to the door. Emma stopped her.

"Just remember, he thinks we're here because I'm on a case."

"Well, look who's gotten good at lying," Regina responded in a condescending tone.

Emma ignored her. "And just don't let anyone slip up. As- as far as Henry knows, you're just Madame Mayor, and that's it."

"I'm well aware of how Henry sees me." Regina told her, slight acid in her voice. She turned and left the loft.

Killian stood leaning against the counter throughout the whole exchange. "Times wasting. There's something wicked in your town. What do you say we go find it?"

As they turned to leave, Emma couldn't help glancing at Killian, knowing he was hiding something. She knew he acted like this to evade. She decided she would ask him again later. She just had to focus on finding the witch now.

* * *

Emma, David, and Killian searched through Regina's office, despite what the mayor had told them earlier, when David noticed something on the marble floor.

"I think I have a partial footprint. You guys see anything?"

Killian and Emma turned to him, both coming closer.

"Other than an austere sense of design, nothing," Killian responded.

Emma looked at the footprint David had pointed out. "Is that blood?"

David picked up a piece of the red substance that made up the print to sniff it. "It's berry," slight wonder coloring his tone.

"Like a fruit?" Emma asked him.

David looked back up at her. "No, like holly berries. They grow on bushes."

"Are you some sort of botanist in this life, mate?" Killian asked, slight curiosity in his tone.

"I worked in an animal shelter, saw dogs track them all the time. The bushes grow in the woods." He looked over to Emma.

"Do you know where?" she asked.

"Yeah- in the northwest corner, not far from the Troll Bridge."

David's phone started to go off at that moment. He sighed as he read the message.

"Everything okay?" Emma asked him,

"Uh, Mary Margaret needs me to come back to the loft. We're getting a midwife, and she wants to meet the both of us."

"A bit demanding, isn't she?" Killian asked. Emma turned to glare at him. Killian sensed her stare and turned to her, realizing his mistake. "I meant the midwife," he said with a small laugh.

Emma and David shared a look before Emma nodded. It's fine. Go."

David was reluctant to leave. "No. W-we just got on track here. I mean-"

"And I've got it covered," Emma told him with a soft smile. "She needs you."

David released a sigh.

"Just meet us when you get done," she told him.

David started to fidget with his phone for a moment before answering. "Alright."

With that, David turned and left his daughter with the pirate.

Emma turned to Killian. "Come on. We're going on a hike." She turned to leave the office, Killian close behind her.

* * *

Killian used his hook to knock some berries loose from the holly bush as Emma looked at him in disbelief.

"You'll look for any excuse to use that thing, won't you?"

"At least we know we're in the right place. What now?" he answered her.

Emma began to look around. "Now, we start searching."

Killian followed her for a few steps. "You know something, Swan? Whenever you're around, I inevitably find myself trekking through some manner of woods or forest, courting danger."

"Ah. Here, I thought you weren't afraid of anything, always looking for the next adventure."

"Oh, is that what this is?" he asked her.

"Isn't it?" Emma countered. "The hell were you doing for the last year alone on that ship? I'm guessing it was one swashbuckling tale after another... till you decided to come back and save me?"

"Exactly," Killian responded.

Emma had had enough. She turned around to look at him, green meeting blue. "You're lying."

"Excuse me?" Killian was on the defensive.

"What happened back there?" Emma pressed. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing," Killian insisted. "It's my tale, and I'm sticking to it."

"I still don't believe you."

Killin was done with the conversation. "Well, let's leave it at that, and you can just say thank you."

"For my memories?" Emma asked. "I already did."

Killian decided to turn the conversation on her. "Well, for saving you from a loveless marriage."

"Is that what you think your doing?" The air suddenly felt tight in Emma's lungs.

Killian gave her a slightly derisive look. "He was a flying monkey."

"I didn't know that," Emma responded quickly.

Killian studied her for a second. He had to know. "Were you considering it- his proposal?"

It was Emma's turn to evade. She couldn't let Killian know why she had second thoughts with Walsh. "Does it matter?"

Killian did not break eye contact. "Humor me."

Emma lied. "Yes, okay? I was in love, so of course I was considering it. As usual, he wasn't who he said he was, and I got my heart broken. That enough humor for you?"

Killian looked down and swallowed. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm glad to hear that."

He looked back up at her to gauge her reaction. Emma wore a slightly confused and hurt expression. "You're glad to hear I had my heart broken?"

He took a step closer to her until they were mere inches apart. "If it can be broken... it means it still works," he told her softly.

It was too much for Emma. He was working his way through her walls again. She held his gaze for a few seconds before turning and walking away, leaving him behind her.

Killian looked down, contemplating, before he followed her.

They made their way into a little meadow with a small house by the edge of it. It reminded Emma faintly of Dorothy's house from the Wizard of Oz.

"A farmhouse. You have to appreciate the irony," Emma said as they stopped.

Killian watched her the whole time, even as she began to walk towards the house.

Emma peeked though the widows. "Where's definately someone living here," she whispered. "Looks empty now, though."

"Then why are we whispering?" Killian whispered back.

"Because good hideouts always _look_ empty. Trust me. I spent alot of time tracking down people who don't want to be found. I know about hiding out."

Killian kept his eyes on Emma the entire time.

Emma rounded the corner of the house and saw a bicycle resting on the prorch. If the situation wasn't so dire, she would have laughed. She pulled back and sighed. She began to look around the yard before she spotted it.

"Storm cellar," she said to herself. She walked down the steps of the porch towards it, Killian following close behind her.

As they approached it, Emma pulled her gun. Killian stopped her with his hook.

"Whoa, wait, wait, wait. It's one thing walking around a deserted farmhouse. It's quite another descending into a one-way cellar with no way out." He gestured towards the door as he spoke.

Emma looked at him. "Scared?" She asked, amused.

Killian sighed. "There's a difference between fear and strategy. We know she's got those flying monstrosities. Who knows what's down there. If this witch is as powerful as we think, we could use some magical backup, unless you've been practicing in New York City."

Emma knew he had a point. "Okay, I'll call Regina, have her drop Henry at Granny's. I'd like to see those flying monstrosities try to get past her crossbow."

Killian shifted his head to the side. She did have a point.

"And her lunch special," he added.

Emma saw she had a missed call. "It's David."

She began to walk away from the cellar as she listened to the message, Killian close behind. Emma looked back at Killian, worried. "David found her. He's going after her. We have to go."

Killian nodded as they hurried back into the forest. They soon came to Emma's car, where they climbed in and began to search for David. Emma called Regina, and she quickly agreed to help search. They soon found David's truck, and David himself, not far from the vehicle.

"David, are you okay?" Emma called to her father.

He nodded weakly.

Regina quickly looked around. "Well, where is she?"

"It wasn't her," David told them getting to his feet.

Killian looked at him, concern plain on his features. "Then who was it? You look whiter than a fresh sail."

"Myself."

"Come again?" Killian asked him, clearly confused.

Regina looked at David. "It's the witch. She's toying with us."

David looked at the group. "Did you guys find where she might be hiding?"

"A farmhouse. And we think it's hers," Killian answered him.

"Then let's end this." David glanced around the group again. Regina raised her brows to him. David held her gaze. "Let's send that witch back to Oz."

They began to make their way back to the farmhouse.

Killian turned to look at David as they made their trek. " Any particular reason she would send a demon who looks like you?"

"No idea," David answered him. "It was just there, wearing my face, harping on my deepest fears."

Regina stopped and turned to face him. "It knew your deepest fears?"

"Yeah-things I never told anyone, even Mary Margaret." Everyone stopped to look at him. "It wasn't until I admitted them that I was able to defeat it by stabbing it with the hilt of my sword."

Emma and Killian both looked to Regina, wondering where she was going with this.

"W-where is it-your sword?" She asked intently.

David gestured back to where they had walked from. "That's the strange part. After I killed it, the hilt- it... disappeared."

"Well, what's that mean, then?" Killian asked.

Regina answered him, turning to David as she spoke. "When we face our deepest fears, our true courage comes out. When you used the hilt of your sword to vanquish your fears, your courage transferred into it."

Emma looked troubled throughout the entire exchange, waring with herself.

David blinked, trying to piece together everything. "Then why'd it disappear?"

"It didn't disappear. She took it."

Emma finally spoke up. "Hang on. The Wicked Witch stole his courage?"

"Well, a symbol of it, at least. And symbols can be powerful totems."

Emma was silent for the rest of the trip back to the farmhouse. When they arrived, she led them straight to the cellar she and Killian had discovered.

Emma looked at the cellar door, stunned at what she saw. "That lock- it wasn't busted before."

She turned to look to Killian for comfirmation. He looked just as uneasy as she did. They both knew something wasn't right. Killian unsheathed his cutlass just as Emma pulled out her gun.

"Ready?" she asked.

As David pulled open the door, both pointed their weapons to the entrance. Nothing came out. Emma scanned the cellar the best she would from above.

"So far, so good," Killian said.

Emma cautiously approached the steps. "Everyone, stay alert. Come on."

Emma went down first, followed by David, Regina, then Killian.

"There's definitely Dark Magic here," Regina said as soon as she entered.

Emma looked around, the feeling of uneasiness refusing to leave her.

"Can you feel it?" Regina asked her.

"I don't know. Maybe. Whatever I feel, it's not good."

She and David saw the cage with another busted lock. "What would the Wicked Witch keep in a cage- monkeys?"

"No, not monkeys," David said as he reached for the bare bulb hanging over them.

As soon as the room was illuminated, they saw the inside of the cage. A spinning wheel sat in the center of it, with straw littering the floor. Dread pressed upon the entire group. David reached down and plucked a rod of gold from the floor.

"Now, how many people do we know... who can spin straw into gold?"

"Rumplestilskin," Emma said, staring at the object in David's hand.

* * *

The group made to back to their cars. There was no sign of the witch, and they still hadn't found out her identity. David was exhausted from his fight, and just wanted to go home to Mary Margaret. He still had questions for Regina, so he offered to give her a ride back to her car, leaving Emma and Killian to make the trip back together. They waited back where they had originally found David after his fight as the prince in question and Regina climbed into his truck. Emma and Killian stayed there for a moment after David drove away. Their conversation from earlier still weighed on Emma.

Killian turned towards her, standing direcetly in front of her just as he had earlier. He looked straight into her eyes. "Swan, are you all right?"

Emma gave him a concerned look. "I could ask you the same thing."

Killian looked down. Emma decided to ask him what she had asked the previous night.

"Killian, are you okay?" Emma asked him softly, almost like she would a wounded animal.

Emma saw he was about to give her the same answer he had before, and cut him off. She decided to go with a more direct approach. "Seriously, Killian. You've- you've been acting like you're hiding something. You look like you're in pain whenever I mention Neal."

Killian looked up at her, meeting her eyes. Emma saw the emotion in his eyes, everything laid bare before her.

"Emma," he spoke softly, "do you remember my secret in the Echo Caves?"

Emma just nodded. She knew how he had felt before their year apart, but she thought it would have deminished. Clearly, it had not.

"I know Bae- Neal is your boy's father, so he should be with you, but..." he trailed off, breaking eye contact again.

Emma took a deep breath. She had tell him why she was so worried about Neal.

"That's why I'm so worried about him. For Henry." Killian glanced up at her. Emma took another breath. "Henry never knew his father, then he did, then he lost him. He doesn't remember our lives at all, I don't want to put him through that again. I can't put him through that again. But I can't be with Neal. Not again."

Killian's hope grew with every word she spoke. He was curious now though with what had happened between Emma and Neal, and if it had anything to do with Walsh.

"Swan, does this by any chance have to do with the man you were going to marry?" Killian asked her softly.

Emma knew he was going to ask. She was like an open book to him. She spotted a fallen log close by and moved to sit on it. Killian followed her, allowing for an acceptable space between them.

Emma took another deep breath. "Partly."

Killian looked at her with concern plain on his features. Emma wasn't used to people worrying about her. She didn't know how to react to it still. She prepared herself. If he asked, she would tell him of her past. Strangely enough, she wasn't too afraid of him finding out about her. Maybe then it would finally make him see why she couldn't let him in past her walls.

Killian decided to push her just a bit more, but offered her an out if she chose to take it. "Swan, if you choose to tell me, I will gladly listen."

Emma couldn't help smiling to herself. She wanted to tell him. She let out a small sigh. "I had just turned seventeen when I ran away from my foster home. I was so tired of always moving, never being wanted."

Just as he had in the car when they came to Storybrooke, Killian reached over and grasped Emma's hand. The gesture surprised Emma, but she was also deeply touched by it. She returned the pressure, but did not release his hand from hers.

"I met Neal soon after. I was stealing a car that he had actually stolen." A small chuckle escaped her lips at the memory. She glanced back fondly at the Bug. Killian followed her gaze before settling back on her face.

"It was great for a while. We moved around a lot, committing small thefts to survive. I fell in love with him on the run. We planned on settling down in Tallahassee. I really though we were going to have a future together."

Killian could tell the tragedy was about to come. That what Emma just spoke of was the calm before the storm. He shifted slightly closer, intent on providing comfort to he if she sought it.

Emma breathed in deeply, preparing. "We were in Phoenix when Neal saw the posters. A while back he had stolen a case of watches. We made plans to lift them and go to Tallahassee. I told him I would get the watches from the locker he had them stashed, then we would meet to get rid of them." Emma paused for a moment to swallow. "I got the watches with no problem. I went to meet Neal at the place he picked out, and he wasn't there. Apparently, the cops had received an _anonymous_ tip on the watches. That day you tried to kill Gold was the first time I'd seen him since that day. Neal let me take the fall for his crime, leaving me nothing but the car and this necklace."

Emma held up the pendant with the swan on it that Killian had noticed she always wore. She let it fall back into place around her neck. She could feel a faint burn in her eyes, but pushed it away.

"When I was in jail, I found out I was pregnant. I- I couldn't be a mother. I knew I had to give him his best chance. I was seventeen when I gave birth to Henry, handcuffed to a hospital bed. I didn't even look at him, because I knew if I did, I wouldn't be able to give him up." Emma's voice broke just as the tears began to spill over.

Emma picked up her necklace again and looked at Killian. "I wear this necklace as a reminder not to to trust anyone again. Not to let anyone in again or get attached. That I have to protect myself."

Killian did not know what to say at first to Emma. Offering condolences would serve no purpose, no words would lessen the pain of what Neal caused her. He was amazed that the boy he had taken on his ship all those centuries ago had done this. Killian wished that he could take her pain away, that he could have protected her. And he felt angry at Neal. He hadn't felt that rage since Rumplestilskin killed Milah and took his hand.

Killian gently pulled Emma to him, giving her the choice to resist if she didn't want his comfort. Emma gave in, settling into his side, his hand releasing hers to wrap around her shoulders as she rested her head on his shoulder. She could allow herself this. She was already in too deep with him.

"Swan," Killian said softly, " I know that nothing I can say will ever make what he did to you any better. But none of that was due to any fault of yours. And I stand by what I said before. If your heart can be broken, it means it still works."

Emma didn't respond to him, instead letting his words sink in. She wondered, as she had many times, if she were making a mistake with him. Her gut, and her heart, said she wasn't. But she couldn't let go of her fear. But for now she could allow herself this comfort.

They stayed like that for a while in silence, Emma remaining tucked in Killian's arm. Eventually, they knew they had to get back. Emma pulled away from him, and they made their way back to her car. The trip back to Granny's was quiet, both stewing in their thoughts. It wasn't until it was time for them to part ways that Killian spoke.

"Good night, Emma."

Emma looked at him, studying him. She saw the worry and affection in his eyes. Despite what she had told him, he was still willing to stay.

"Good night, Killian," she said as she opened her door. He stood rooted in his spot, watching her until she closed her door behind her.

Emma leaned back on the door, breathing deeply. She couldn't bring herself to regret telling him her past. But she had to protect herself. She had to keep her walls intact. Emma couldn't let Killian in anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	6. Fighting the Embrace Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my delusions.

The next morning, Emma rushed into Granny's. She had overslept, up late consumed by thoughts of Killian. Granny unlocked the door, letting her in to the diner where David, Mary Margaret, Regina, and Killian sat waiting for her. She did not look at Killian as she entered.

"If you want privacy, talk fast," Granny told them. "We open in twenty, and no one gets between Leroy and his bacon." The woman moved behind the counter into the kitchen.

Killian started. "Is there any sign of our quarry?"

Emma avoided looking at him. "I went all over that farmhouse and the land around it- nothing."

"Well, now that the suns up, we should hit every place Gold might go- his house, shop, his cabin," David said.

Emma looked at her father. "'Cause dead men love vacation homes. Can someone explain to me how this is even possible? We all saw Gold. He-"

"Disappeared into nothingness. I know," Mary Margaret cut in.

Killian looked pensive. "I might have an inkling." Emma finally looked at him. "When we went back to the Enchanted Forest, Neal was talking about the possibility of getting his father back."

Everyone looked at him, concern on their features. Emma watched him and noticed he didn't have the pained look in his eyes when he spoke of Neal this time.

"What? How?" David asked him.

"He didn't know how. He just...he missed his family. And he was desperate to find a way to return to this world. He believed that bringing his father back was the key."

As angry as Killian was with Neal, he couldn't fault him. He knew if it were possible, hed have tried to bring his brother back to him. But, he still did not want him anywhere near Emma now that he knew the truth.

"Well, if that was his plan," Emma started, her parents looking at her, "then obviously something went wrong, because while Gold might be alive and kicking, Neal is- he's- we don't know what he is." Emma cast a furtive glance at Killian. She was relieved there still wasn't any pain, but she could tell he still didn't like the mention of Neal. If anything, she was thankful her explanation spared him from any more unnecessary pain. "We don't even know if he made it back to Storybrooke. No one's seen him since this new curse."

"He's out there somewhere," David told her, his voice confident.

Regina finally decided to speak up. "With all due respect, we have bigger issues right now than who brought Gold back. The fact that he was in the Wicked Witch's basement, for one. I want to know what the hell she was cooking up with him."

Mary Margaret resonded. "Well, the best way to find that out wold be to ask Gold, right?"

"He could tell us who the witch is- maybe how to track her down," David agreed with his wife.

Regina stood. "I'm gonna head back to that farmhouse. It's possible this witch let behind some trace of potion or special ingredient."

Emma looked at her. "Have at it. Just be careful."

"Well, she's the one who needs to be careful. She invaded my space. When I return the favor, I'm not pulling any punches," she told her as she walked out of the diner.

* * *

"So- so Rumple's alive?" Belle asked, not able to believe what they told her. "I mean, how is that even possible?"

"We were hoping you might be able to tell _us_ that," replied Emma. Emma make her way with Killian and her parents to Gold's Pawn Shop in hopes Belle would know something. "You know him and this shop better than anyone. If he's in Storybrooke, there has to be a clue in here about how he got back or how we can find him now that he is."

Belle nodded, truly in to think of anything. "Yeah, I'll, uh- I'll start looking right away."

"Keep your eyes out for him, too," David told her. "If he comes into town, he'll-"

"He'll come to me. Yeah, I know," Belle finished for him, a soft smile on her face. Mary Margaret and Emma both smiled back at her.

Emma looked up to Killian and nodded her head, asking him. He knew and accepted.

"I will stay here with you." The others looked back at him. "I'm surprisingly good at research." He added in a slightly cocky tone. Not many knew exactly how good he was, what with being proficient in many subjects, including math and ancient Greek.

" _You_ will stay with _me?"_ Belle asked in surprise and disbelief. Killian raised his brows at her in confirmation. Belle looked uneasy.

Emma immediately cut in, trusting Killian and knowing he could do it. "He'll protect you if the witch comes."

Belle turned on her. "You do know he tried to kill me."

"Well, there were extenuating circumstances," Killian offered by way of explanation.

Belle turned back to him, unable to believe what he was saying.

"Twice," she told him. Killian was attempting to hold back a grin at her tone.

"Sorry?" he said, cocking his head to the side.

Emma looked at him. "You really know how to charm a girl, don't you?"

"This will be my way of making it up to you. Hmm?" he offered Belle, quirking his eyebrows in the way Emma found both attractive and infuriating.

"Fine," Belle agreed.

Emma prepared to leave. "All right, we should really get out into the woods."

"Hey," David said to Mary Margaret, "maybe you should stay home."

Mary Margaret looked back at him surprised. "Me? I'm the best tracker here."

"I know, but we'll manage. Remember what Zelena said- you need your rest." David reminded her.

Mary Margaret looked to Emma then back to David before raising her hands in defeat.

Emma stood and went up to Belle. "Belle, thank you for your help. Don't worry. We're gonna find him."

Belle smiled at her. "Okay. Thank you."

Emma took one last glance at Killian before she turned and walked out the door. She felt his eyes following her the whole way.

Killian followed Belle to the back, where she started to hand him books.

"Uh, watch the cover on that one," she told him.

Killian looked up at her. "Dealing with a hook here."

Belle shook her head lightly, then turned as she and Killian heard someone pounding on the door.

"It's him. It's- it's Rumple," Belle said breathlessly. She jumped down from her latter and ran to the main part of the shop, Killian close behind her, pulling his cutlass.

The door gave way just as they entered, Neal falling through the gap.

Belle rushed to him aND laid her hand on his head, tring to wake him. "Neal? Neal!"

Killian was relieved Neal was alive and not a flying g monkey, but he couldn't help the anger at seeing him, even in the man's unconscious state.

* * *

Emma was afraid that Henry would pick something up, and sure enough, he did. He told his mom that he heard the whispers of the people in town around him, and he wanted to go home. Emma tried to assuage him, telling him that her case was important, and that he had to trust her.

She then got a phone call from Belle, telling her that she and Killian found Neal when he stumbled through the entrance of the pawn shop. Emma sent Henry off to go fishing with Leroy to go fishing, picked up David, them went to the hospital.

Emma was uneasy the whole trip there. Less than twenty-four hours ago she told Killian her past, and now she had to face her ex again. And this time she more than ever had to worry about Henry, and what Neal's reappearance would mean for her sons life. Emma anxiously walked into Neal's room.

"Neal, you're here. What happened?" She asked him as soon as she entered with her father in tow. Belle and Killian were in the room with him. Emma quickly looked over at Killian and noticed the hard set of his jaw. She knew he was thinking about what she told him, and was thankful that for now he had kept it to himself.

Neal looked up at her when she came closer. "I... don't know. I- I remember seeing the yellow Bug cross the town line, and the next thing I know, I'm running around a forest back in Storybrooke, where, apparently, there's been a whole lot going on."

Killian didn't look at Neal at all, instead training his eyes on Emma. "Are you gonna tell him, or shall I?"

Emma's suspicions were confirmed at hearing the tone of Killian's voice. David picked up on the pirate's mood and looked at him curiously. Belle was surprised, as Killian barely said anything until Emma had arrived. Neal looked at him confused.

"Tell me what?" He asked Killian.

David decided to inform Neal of Rumplestilskin. "Neal," he said in a gentle voice, "we think your dad's back."

"Back?" David nodded his head. "I just watched him die. What do you mean he's back?"

Neal's voice took on an aggressive tone as he spoke. Emma knew she had to calm down the situation. "Take it easy."

Emma noticed a strange, triangular burn on his right palm. She lifted his hand. "What the hell is that?"

"No idea," Neal answered her. David moved in closer to get a better look. As Emma pulled out her phone to snap a picture.

Emma turned to Belle. "Belle, can you do some more research?"

"Yeah, sure, absolutely," she responded, troubled by the marking on Neal's hand.

"I'll send yout the picture."

"Okay," Belle nodded.

Neal looked around the room, eyeing Killian. "Hey, guys, can we- can we have a minute?"

David quickly nodded. "Yeah, of course."

Killian looked at Emma, reluctant to leave her with him. He silently offered to stay with her. Emma silently let him know it was okay, to trust her. She had to do this on her own. But she knew that wasn't the problem. Killian trusted Emma, he didn't trust Neal. He held her gaze for just another moment, then followed her father and Belle out of the room, not once looking at the man on the bed. He looked back once more at Emma as he left the room.

Emma perched lightly on the edge of the bed preparing herself. She knew what was coming. She looked back for a second, suddenly hoping that Killian didn't heed her telling him it was okay. He stayed outside, just out of earshot, but able to intervene of necessary. Emma turned back to Neal.

Neal looked at her. "It's good to see you... and even better to have your remember me."

"It's good to see you, too."

"Has it really been a year?" he asked her.

"Yeah," Emma nodded.

"When can I see Henry?"

This was what Emma was so afraid of upon Neal's return. She had to protect Henry. "Neal, I don't..."

Neal became exasperated. "I know- okay, I know I can't just come barging back into your life, but-"

Emma cut him off. "No, it's- it's not that." Emma sighed. "My memories came back, but his- he doesn't remember anything- the curse, his old life."

"Me."

Emma gave him an apologetic expression. "You."

Neal was silent for a moment, thinking. "What does he know about his father?"

"What I knew until about a week ago, which was that you let me go to jail and never came back for us."

"But I didn't have a choice. You know that."

Emma didn't want to get into it with him. She knew he did have a choice. But she told him otherwise. "Yeah, I- I do know that now, but I didn't during that whole year."

"So my son has no clue who I really am," Neal replied in a stand-offish tone. "He just thinks I'm the jerk that abandoned him."

His tone changed, he sounded slightly pleading. "We have to get his memories back. We have to fix this. There has to be somebody who can- the Blue Fairy or- or my father- that-"

"Neal..." Emma stopped him. "He was really happy in New York with our life."

"You don't want him to get his memories back," Neal said in a slightly accusing tone.

Emma looked at him. "Maybe that's for the best."

"But I'm his father. I want him to know who I am."

Emma had to protect her son. She wanted him to have his happy life away from chaos. She wanted to return to New York, away from curses. Away from Neal. And as much as it pained her to think about, away from Killian. She wanted to run.

* * *

Some time after Emma left, Killian decided to make his presence known. Earlier, he had watched Emma retreat from the hospital room, her have troubled. She assured him everything was okay, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. Killian knew she wanted to run.

He came into the room holding a plate of green jello, remembering having a blue version of the strange substance when he was in the hospital. He spied Neal examining his hand.

"I thought you could use some sustenance," Killian said gruffly.

Neal smiled at him. "Nothing like a green blob to get the appetite going."

"Well, I gather it has great medicinal properties."

"They put you on babysitting duty, huh? What, no one trusted me to stay here?"

Killian truthfully did not want to be around Neal. "Emma's simply concerned about you. She thought it best you weren't out in the cold running after your father."

Neal looked down. "Thank you by the way."

"For playing nanny?"

"For getting Emma the message to come back."

"You would have done the same." Killian did not want to talk to him about Emma.

"Yeah. What's it feel like to play the hero after being a pirate for so long?"

Killian forced a smile. "Unfamiliar. And you- how does it feel to play the villian?"

Neal picked up on Killian's mood. "I'm a villian now?"

"Well, if you truely had a hand in bringing your father back, I suspect you had to use the darkest of magic and paid an even darker price, though I'm sure you felt the ends justified the means," Killian ended with the biting tone back in his voice, waving his hand.

"What the hell is this about, Hook?" Neal asked, getting annoyed.

Killian didn't answer. Neal shook his head. "Forget it. I need to see Emma."

Killian bristled. "No, you don't. She doesn't need your help."

Neal looked at him and smirked. "Are you actually jealous, Hook?"

Killian shook his head. "Not at all."

Neal's expression turned serious. "And what was that bit about, that 'I felt the ends justified the means'?"

Killian looked him dead in the eye. "I think we both know."

Neal paled. He knew that Killian knew. "Look Hook, I didn't have a choice, August- Pinochio- told me it was her destiny to break that curse. I didn't have a choice!"

"You did!" Killian growled. "You did have a choice in the matter. You could have stayed with her. You could have not let her fall for your crimes. You could have helped her."

"She was supposed to come here. I would have held her back. What would you have done if you were in my position, Hook?" Neal was now yelling at Killian.

"I would have stayed with Emma! I wouldn't have left her alone! I would have done bloody everything to be with her!" Killian yelled back at him. "She told me she was chained to a bed when she gave birth to Henry."

Neal's face paled again at the mention on Henry. "That would have been different. I would have been there for Henry if I knew."

Neal's statement only infuriated Killian further. "Emma should have been enough reason for you to stay if you loved her."

Neal's face went from white to red. "You wanna talk about being a family, Hook? Fine let's talk. What about what you did to mine? What about when you stole my mother away?"

Killian remembered a young Baelfire accusing him of stealing Milah, and he had handled it. But knowing that Neal still believed all his father's lies was something completely different.

"You still believe what Rumplestilskin told you? Milah begged me to take her away from your father. She wanted her freedom. I didn't steal her, she came to me asking to accompany me. To give her the freedom she desired. And we tried to go back for you, but your father killed her."

Neal was stunned by what Killian had said. He always had a feeling that his father never told him the full truth, but Neal wanted to believe him. However, Killian's explanation rang true on his ears.

But he couldn't back down. "I did every thing for Emma. I left her so that she could do what she was born to do."

"The bloody hell you did, you did it to save yourself so you wouldnt have to face your father. The irony is, you've become him, a bloody coward." Killian yelled back. He remembered how Neal had always tried to run from his father.

"Why do you even care? Emma means nothing to you and you mean nothing to her."

Killian took a step closer to Neal. "You know nothing of how I feel for Emma," he told him, his low voice deadly. "I would do anything for her. You do not get to tell me of my feelings for her. Or of her feelings for me. You don't get to decide on any of that."

David heard the shouting from a distance, and rushed into the room. He came in to see Killian and Neal both standing facing each other, angry looks on both their faces.

"What the hell is going on?" David asked them, feeling the energy of the room. Both men just looked at him.

Killian was done. He couldn't stand being in the same room with Neal anymore. He turned to Neal. "Baelfire, everything that you have ever accused he of, is nothing compared to what you've done to Emma."

Killian turned and stalked out of the room. David glanced quickly back at Neal, seeing him with his back turned to him, reluctant to talk, before he ran after Killian.

"Hook," David said as soon as he caught up to him, "What the hell was all that about?"

Killian stopped and took a deep breath. He wouldn't tell Emma's secret. He turned towards David. "I can't talk to you about it, mate. I'm not at liberty to say."

"Like hell you can't," David told him sternly. "Not if you're talking about Emma."

"Talk to Emma," Killian said gently. "She may tell you. But I will not betray her secret."

David saw the sincere look on Killian's face. He nodded, respecting the pirate's loyalty to his daughter.

Killian turned and walked out of the hospital, leaving David alone with his thoughts. He knew he had to talk to Emma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my delusions.

Soon after leaving the hospital, David called Emma to meet with her back at the station. He arrived first and waited anxiously for her to arrive. David couldn't help reflecting on what he had just witnessed. Killian and Neal standing feet apart, both looking ready to start swinging at each other. Neal didn't offer any explanation. Then there were Killian's parting words. David didn't know what to make of them, but he knew it was bad. He could only wait to talk to Emma, and, hopefully, she would answer his questions. Emma walked into the station.

"David, is everything alright?" Emma asked him.

David wasn't sure how to bring it up. "Uh, not exactly. I just got back from the hospital."

Emma looked alarmed, her eyes frantic. "What happened? Did something happen to Neal? Or Killian, is he okay?"

David raised his hand, motioning for her to calm down. "They're both fine. They just had a little- um, argument."

Emma stared at him in disbelief. "An argument?"

David sighed. "They were yelling so loud I could hear them across the hall. I came in and found them ready to hit each other. They were both pretty pissed."

Emma was immediately worried. "Do you know what it was about?"

David didn't meet her eyes. "I'm not exactly sure, but something to do with you."

All of the air in Emma's lungs seemed to dissipate. She looked down, trying to calm down. "Me?"

David sighed again. "Neal didn't say anything, and Hook said he couldn't tell me."

David looked up. He didn't speak again until Emma met his eyes. "Hook told me he would not tell me your secret, that it was up to you to tell me."

Emma was insanely grateful to Killian. She knew that she had to tell David about Neal now, but she was thankful that he didn't betray her trust. She still did not regret telling him.

Emma bit her lip. "Yesterday, after you left from the woods, I told Hook about Neal."

David was curious. He knew how Hook felt about Emma, but he was curious as to what could result to that kind of rage the pirate held. He nodded to Emma, encouraging her to continue.

Emma took a deep breath. "You know how I grew up in the foster system. I ran away from it right as I turned seventeen. I met Neal soon after." She didn't want to give her father all the details she had given Killian the day before. She didn't think her nerves could take it. "We were together for a while, moving from place to place. In Pheonix, Neal saw some wanted posters on him, for the robbery of some watches. I wanted to help him, so what we could leave and make a life together. But he set me up and left me to go to jail for him."

David could tell Emma was omitting some details, but he didnt push. He knew if it were important, Emma would tell him. He reached out and pulled Emma into his arms, cradling her head. Emma was immediately comforted by the gesture. She was thankful that she could barely feel any tears in her eyes. She didn't want to cry again.

"I found out I was pregnant with Henry soon after, and had him in jail. You know why I gave him up, for his best chance," Emma finished.

David leaned in to kiss Emma's hair as he tightened his arms around her. He understood Killian's anger at Neal now. Now he knew why Emma never let anyone in. Neal had broken Emma.

"Emma, I'm sorry we pushed you towards Neal. If we had known... I wouldn't have let him anywhere near you. We- we thought that because he's Henry's father..." David trailed off.

Emma shook her head. "No, I didn't tell you guys. You didn't know."

David looked at his daughter. "But still, I'm so, so sorry."

Emma hugged him. David couldn't help but think to himself, that if Killian was that ready to defend and protect Emma, he wasn't so bad.

* * *

Emma found Killian sitting by the docks. He looked up at her as she approached. She sat down beside him.

"Hey," Emma said, "you doing okay?"

Killian didn't meet her eyes. "I'm fine, love. Why wouldn't I be?"

"David told me what happened."

Killian turned his head to her, anxious to see her expression. She looked calm. Killian thought he could see a hint of gratitude in her green eyes.

"Thank you, for not telling my dad. For letting me do it myself."

Killian was mystified. Emma smiled softly at him. "So what was it about?"

Killian swallowed. He knew there was a good chance Emma would find out about his fight with Neal. His voice was gruff. "I wasn't, let's say in the best of moods around him. He asked me how it felt to play the hero after so many years of piracy, and I asked him how it felt to be the villain, since he is the one to bring the Crocodile back. Then I told him that if he thought the ends justified the means, and let's just say Neal figured it out. He told me about how he didn't have a choice, and he did it all so you could fulfill your destiny. I in turn told him he did have a choice, and he did everything to save himself."

Killian looked back at Emma, who was watching him intently. His voice softened. "I told him that we're I in his position, I would have stayed. That you would have been enough reason alone to stay, even without Henry."

Emma was touched that Killian had stood up for her to Neal like that. She rested her hand on his arm and lightly squeezed. "Thank you, Killian."

He smiled softly at her. He tried to ignore the feeling of warmth that spread through him at the simple gesture. He knew the gesture meant more to him than it did to her. But he couldn't help relishing in it.

Emma kept her hand on his arm as she spoke. "Why don't we go back to the loft? I'm supposed to meet David there so we can fill Mary Margaret in on what's happened, then we're going to go out looking for Gold again."

"Aye," Killian nodded. He stood and offered Emma his hand to help her up, which she accepted. Emma led him to her car, and they were quiet until they got back to the loft.

David and Mary Margaret looked up as they entered. David gave Killian a slight nod, which Killian returned. The men shared an understanding.

Mary Margaret wasn't sure what to do. David had told her about what Emma had told him, and, like her husband, shared the guilt of trying to push Emma back to Neal. If anything, she wanted to apologize to her.

"Emma," she started, approaching her daughter, "I'm so sorry... if I'd have known, I wouldn't have-"

Emma cut her off. "No, it's okay. You didn't know."

Killian watched Emma to see how she was taking it that her parents knew her secret. He was relieved to find no signs of distress. He didn't notice David watching him.

Emma decided to get to business. "Okay, are we going to look for Gold or what?"

David turned to her. "Yeah, we just need to figure out where to search."

The door to the loft burst open at that moment, revealing Neal. He rushed into the loft, eyes quickly scanning for Emma.

"Emma-"

David lurched forward, punching Neal right in the face, effectively cutting him off. Neal stumbled back, pressing his hand to his face where David hit him.

"What the hell?" Neal exclaimed.

David gave Neal a dark look as he turned away. "Why are you out of the hospital?"

Neal's expression grew annoyed. "I wanted to look for my father.

Killian shifted closer to Emma. Emma glanced at him, which he quickly returned, giving her a slight nod.

Neal looked around the room, noticing who else was present. He noticed Mary Margaret's disapproving look before his eyes zeroed in on Killian standing protectively by Emma. "Why the hell is Hook here?"

Emma spoke up. "He's been helping us."

Neal snorted. "Sure, like Hook is really willing to help Rumplestilskin. Come on Ems, what's going on?"

Emma thought Neal was implying that something was going on between her and Killian. Emma wanted to quickly deny it, but she wasn't even sure herself anymore, and the thought scared her. She felt the urge to run again.

"Neal-" she began.

Neal stepped forward closer to her. "Tell me what's going on."

Emma tried to calm him down, knowing her earlier thought was correct. Neal took another step forward.

This time it was Killian who sprang forward to punch Neal. He landed his blow right above where David had hit him.

Neal stumbled back, trying to remain upright, his hand pressed to his face where Killian had just hit him. A nasty bruise was already beginning to form from the blow, a small cut in the center.

Emma was shocked. She immediately pulled Killian's arm back to restrain him. He relaxed under her touch.

"Stay away from her," he growled at Neal.

Neal backed off.

Mary Margret decided to take over the situation. Her tone was not warm. "Neal, we were discussing where to look for your father. And you should be back at the hospital." She turned to David. He nodded his head at his wife before moving to Neal.

David gripped Neal's arm, pulling him out. "Come on."

Neal silently followed him out. Mary Margaret shook her head before turning to make some cocoa for the group.

Emma breathed a sigh of relief that the situation was over she looked up at Killian to see his jaw clenched. "Hey, it's okay."

She moved to pull him to one of the chairs when she noticed he had broken the skin open on his knuckles, blood lightly seeping from the wound.

"Killian, your hand," she said softly, drawing his attention to it. He hadn't noticed it until she said something about it.

"Don't worry about it, Swan. It's fine," he told her matching her tone.

Emma gently pushed him into the chairs then went to go retrieve the first aid kit. Mary Margaret busied herself in the tiny kitchen, trying to give them the illusion of privacy. Emma returned and placed the kit on the table. She soaked some cotton in alcohol.

"So you don't have to waste your rum," she told him with a smirk as she gently applied it to the cuts. Killian slightly flinched at the sting.

She pulled the alcohol soaked cotton away and began bandage his hand. She contemplated what to ask him for a moment before deciding to get straight to the point. "What made you hit him?"

Killian released a breath. "He was approaching you, and with how he was questioning you, well, he was going to try to back you into a corner. He was trying to intimidate you. I'm certain that if I hadn't hit him, Dave would have, again."

Neither one noticed Mary Margaret nodding behind them.

Emma thought over his answer for a moment, knowing he was right. Her tone was just above a whisper. "Thank you."

Killian was quiet, watching her gently wrap the gauze around his hand. Emma tied it off and tucked it under the wrappings.

"Thank you, Emma," Killian said to her. Emma just nodded.

Mary Margaret decided then to make her presence know as she put the cocoa on the table before them. "Here you go."

Emma blinked as if waking from a trance. In a sense, she had. She quickly gathered the supplies to dispose of the waste. She felt Killian's eyes on her as she got up.

"Thanks, Mary Margaret," Emma told her. "I just need to throw this away."

Emma returned to see her mother looking at Killian curiously while he kept his eyes on his drink. She tried not to think about Mary Margaret could possibly be thinking about. Emma returned to her seat, moving a bit away from Killian, and took her drink.

The trio discussed where to look for Rumplestilskin until David returned. David walked into the loft where he sat down next to Mary Margaret.

"He's back in his room," David told the group. "They're going to sedate him overnight so that he wont leave again, at least for the night." He turned to Killian, an impressed grin on his face. "And by the way, you left quite the shiner on him. That black eye was looking pretty good when I left."

Killian smirked back at him.

They stayed there a while longer so that David could get a break before heading out to the forest. Emma noticed how at ease David and Killian were with each other, and it made her curious, but she didn't bring it up.

Night quickly approached, and they knew that they would not find Rumplestilskin that night. They made it out of the forest and headed back to the town, where they met Mary Margaret at Granny's. They quickly informed her on their search before Henry came in to their table. The conversation was kept light, with Henry talking about going back out with Leroy the next day.

They finished their meal, and went their separate ways. Emma was exhausted after the days events. She bid goodnight to her parents, and walked with Henry and Killian back to the inn. Henry entered their room to get ready for bed while Emma said goodnight to Killian. She turned to him.

"Good night, Hook," she told him softly.

He held her gaze and nodded. "Good night, Swan."

Just like the previous nights, he watched her until she closed the door behind her.

Despite how tired she was, she stayed up after Henry went to bed so she could think. She thought about how Neal had implied that something was going on between her and Killian. Emma knew there was something brewing between them. She was getting closer to him, letting him in more and more. She wasn't afraid of being close to him, but that lack of fear scared her. She remembered telling Neal that she wanted to take Henry back to New York, and suddenly the idea seemed much more appealing. After the witch was dealt with, she could run back to her old life with Henry.

Emma closed her eyes and sighed. To run, she had to try to push him away. It would be hard, she knew she did care about him, but she would not admit it, even to herself. But she had to try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Thought this is a divergence, all major events still take place. This includes character deaths.  
> I own nothing except my delusions.

Emma, Killian, and David found themselves searching the woods again. There were still no signs of Gold to be seen, but they knew there was a better change at finding some clue of him in the light of day. The trio was relatively quiet but for the occasional comment. Each was still reflecting on the events of the previous day. David was curious. Though he had spoken to Emma about her past, he knew nothing of what Neal had said to her in the hospital. He decided to ask.

"So Emma," David started, "what did Neal want to talk to you about yesterday in the hospital?"

Emma tensed at his question. Killian immediately looked at her, searching for any signs of distress. He had to admit he was curious too.

Emma shook her head. "It was hard. Henry makes it complicated. It wasn't just about me. He's hoping Gold can help bring his memories back."

"That would be an added bonus to finding him," David replied.

"Would it?" Emma asked. "A couple days ago, I would have though that was true, but now-"

"Now what?" Her father asked her. "How's he gonna stay in Storybrooke without them?"

Killian watched Emma curiously, having a feeling he knew what she wanted to do.

Emma looked away from David, not sure how to reply.

David weakly nodded. "Unless you're not planning to. You think you'll go back to New York after we break the curse?"

"A week ago, Henry and I were playing video games and eating Fruit Roll Ups. Now I am chasing after the Dark One, hoping he can help me find the Wicked Witch of the West," Emma told him, like it was the obvious answer.

Her words confirmed Killian's suspicions that she wanted to run.

They then heard screaming in the distance. They looked at each other behore running towards the sound.

"Gold!" Emma called to him as they approached. "You all right?"

Gold remained huddled over, clutching his head. "No. No, no, no, not all right! Not all right!"

He let go of his head, almost in a frenzy. He began to whimper. "It's- I can't quiet the voices."

David, Emma, and Killian exchanged a glace before looking back at him. Emma tried to calm him down, but couldnt keep the uregency out of her voice. "We know that you were held captive by the witch. Do you know where she is?"

"Yeah," Gold panted. "She's- aah!"

He began acting as though he were in pain. "There's no room! No room! There's too many voices! Too many voices!"

"We gotta get him out of here," David said, moving closer to Gold. Emma turned back to him while Killian nodded.

A monkey's screech interrupted them. Emma jumped to her feet, cocking her gun at the decent decending monkey. Killian and David pulled their swords, and David slashed at the monkey as soon as he could reach it. The monkey fell, sliding along the ground until it dug it's claws in the earth, ready to pounce. David rushed forward, swinging his sword.

Gold took of running.

Emma yelled. "Gold!"

"He's getting away!" Killian exclaimed, torn between pursuit of Gold and fighting the monkey.

David slashed at the monkey again. "I'll hold it off! You two go!"

Emma and Killian looked at David before turning around to chase after Gold. They silently agreed to stay together, lest another monkey come.

They eventually slowed, listening for him.

"Do you see any sign of him?" Killian asked her.

"No," Emma replied. Suddenly, she saw a figure.

"Gold?" she called out.

"Emma!" Neal called back.

Killian sighed. "What the bloody hell is he doing out here?"

"I don't know," she responded, glancing at him. She turned back to Neal. "Neal, what the hell are you doing here?"

Emma didn't fail to notice Killian shift closer to her.

Emma studied Neal as he approached, taking in the black-eye Killian had given him the day before, along with the faint bruising along his jaw from David's hit.

Neal sounded slightly annoyed. "You expect me to stay in bed while you're looking for my dad?""

"Right. I forgot who I was dealing with."

Killian was growing irritated, keeping his eyes on Neal. Neal didn't look at him.

"You got a bead on him?" he asked Emma.

"David, Hook, and I just saw him, but he took off again."

"So it's true- he's alive?"

"Aye, he is," Killian told him. Neal still didn't look at him.

"How'd he seem?"

Emma looked unsure. "Uh, I don't know what that witch did to him, but he seems a little crazy. When I asked him about her, it was like he wanted to tell me, but he couldn't."

Neal quickly looked around. "Well, he can't be far. Come on."

Emma was about to protest. Neal looked at her, smirking. "You want to waste time dragging me back to the hospital? 'Cause that's the only way you're gonna get me there."

Emma gave Killian and exasperated look. He raised his brows, telling her it was her call. She sighed. "Fine, let's go."

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Neal turned to Emma. "So New York, huh?"

"I like the pizza," Emma responded.

"Did Henry like it?" Neal asked.

"He loves pizza."

"I meant living there in the city."

Killian's jaw clenched. He knew what Neal was doing.

"Oh, yeah, I did too," Emma told him, looking for a way to push Neal away. "Finally had to do all the things we normally couldn't."

"Like what?" Neal pressed.

Emma thought for a second. "Go to the park, see a movie, go to the zoo, just do nothing. Life was good- really good."

Neal then decided to ask Emma what she hoped he wouldn't. "It didn't get lonely? Just the two of you?"

Killian clenched his jaw even tighter as he curled his hand into a fist, ignoring the sting of his knuckles under the bandage.

Emma sighed. She glanced back behind her, scrambling to gather her thoughts. "Henry had tons of friends at school, and I... had someone. Sorry."

"Why are you sorry? Of course you did. It's not like we were- or you even remembered..."

Neal sounded like he was wondering if he had a chance to be back with Emma. He chuckled.

"Was it serious?"

"He proposed," was all Emma said.

Neal tried not to sound too interested. "Wow."

"And then he proceeded to turn into a flying monkey," Killian cut in. Emma glanced at him, lightly brushing her hand against him to calm him. He responded instantly to her touch.

Neal wasn't sure how to respond. "Sounds intense."

The three climbed down a small incline.

Neal turned back to Emma. "Hey, I'm sorry it didn't work out."

Emma looked at him curiously. "Really?"

Neal stopped to fully face her. "I just want you to be happy... even if it isn't with me."

Neal still avoided acknowledging Killian.

Emma and Killian looked at Neal curiously, Killian wondering if he was stepping down.

Before either could respond, Emma's phone rang. Emma quickly answered it. "Belle, what'd you find?"

Belle quickly responded. "The symbol on Neal's hand, it's from an ancient talisman- a key that opens the vault of the Dark One. I think he may have used it to resurrect Rumple back when we were in the Enchanted Forest."

Emma's eyed darted to Neal. "Wait, so he brought Gold back?"

"That's where it gets unclear," Belle told her. "The vault will only restore the Dark One in exchange for another life."

"Whoa. Hang on a minute. What?"

"It's a one-for-one trade. If Neal used that key... he sould be dead right now."

Emma looked at Neal, wondering how it was possible, when he suddenly fell to the forest floor, screaming.

"Neal? Neal?" Emma called but as Killian shouted "Bae?"

Neal just groaned.

""Neal, what did you do?" Emma asked him, looking at his hand.

Neal screamed again and looked up at her. Emma and Killian were shocked at what they saw. Neal's face was changing into Rumplestilskin's. Emma and Killian quickly glanced at each other, at a loss for what to do.

"Swan," Killian said, thoughts fimilar to hers.

Emma looked at Neal. "I think- I think Gold is inside you. think that's how you're still alive."

"I heard my father's voice in my head," Neal choked out. "He's in there. He's in me."

Suddenly Gold's ravings made sense.

"He said there was no room. He meant you."

"I need you to help me, Emma," Neal pleaded. "Use your magic. Separate me and my father."

"Then you'll die," Killian told him. Most of his anger from earlier evaporated as Neal lied on the forest floor.

Neal looked at both of them, finally looking at Killian for the first time. "I know, but you need my dad more than me. To figure out who the witch is... to save the town. Emma, you need to do this."

Emma shook her head. "I've never done anything like that before- Not that big."

"Do it to save you and Henry. Do it. Please," Neal winced in pain. Emma looked down before taking Neal's hands. She closed her eyes, focusing. Killian hovered close, ready to support Emma if she needed it.

There was a flash, and Gold kneeled before Emma, Neal laying beside him. Emmas eyes flew open, taking the scene in. She went to Neal.

"Neal! Neal, are you okay?"

"What have you done?" Gold asked.

Killian and Emma sat Neal up. "It's okay, Papa," he told Gold weakly. "I told her to."

"But why?"

"So you can tell her who the witch is so you can defeat her."

"Zelena," Gold almost snarled.

Emma and Killian immediately looked up at him.

"What?" Emma asked.

"Zelena," Gold repeated.

Killian looked at Emma. "Snow's midwife."

Emma looked back at Gold. "She's the witch? What does she want?"

Gold was close to breaking. "What she doesn't have."

They all glanced at Neal, who was just barely holding on.

Emma felt tears start to spill over. "There has to be some way you can save him, right?"

Gold said nothing, just stood up, holding back tears.

"It's too late, Emma," Neal told her weakly.

Emma's voice broke as Gold turned away, unable to watch his son. "Just hang in there, please. You never even had a chance to see Henry- for him to remember you."

"It's okay," he told her."He doesn't need to. He just needs to know that, in the end, I was a good father."

Gold turned back around to Neal.

"Go find Tallahassee..." he continued to Emma, "even if it's without me."

"Neal."

"Hey. I'll be watching over you guys from somewhere. Promise me- just prom- promise me you'll both be happy."

Emma stroked his shoulder. "I promise. I promise."

Neal looked at Killian. " Hook, I'm sorry... I was wrong about you, and you were right. Take care of her, do for her what I didn't."

Killian looked at him, unable to believe the man dying before him was the same boy he picked up on the Jolly Roger centuries ago. His voice was rough. "Bae... I will. I promise you I will."

Gold shook his head. "No."

He began to rush over to his son. "No, no, no. I can fix this."

"No, you can't. You can't," Neal protested weakly. "Thank you, Papa, for showing me what it is to make a true sacrifice. It's all about saving the ones that you love."

Gold shook his head. "No."

Neal smiled at him. "It's my turn now."

"No," Gold said as he grabbed his son's hand. "I don't want to let you go."

"You need to."

"Please," Gold pleaded with him. He touched Neal's face.

"Let go."

"I love you, son," Golds voice broke.

Neal looked into his father's eyes. "I- I love you, Papa."

The light left Neal's eyes.

Emma and Killian looked up at Gold, seeing him break. He leaned down, pressing his lips to Neal's hand that he still grasped. He then reached forward to close Neal's eyes.

Emma was numb. Henry's father had just died in her arms.

* * *

Emma and Killian left to retrieve David, Killian supporting Emma the entire way. Both said very little, until Emma explained to David what had happened. Killian, despite his own pain, never left her side.

Upon David hearing Zelena was the Wicked Witch, they quickly piled into David's truck, taking off to the loft to find the witch. When they arrived, David opened the door, everyone's weapons raised.

Mary Margaret looked at them in surprise. "Emma, David, Hook, what's going on?"

David reached her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Where's Zelena?" Emma asked, scanning the loft.

Mary Margaret was stunned. "In the bathroom. Why?"

David remained by his wife as Emma and Killian each went be the bathroom doors. They both kicked the doors open, revealing the empty room. They looked at the open window.

David moved by them. "She had to know we were coming."

Emma reached for her phone. "I'll call Regina. We need to get a protection spell around this apartment right away."

"Does anyone want to tell me what's going on?" Mary Margaret asked them.

David rushed back to her, hugging her. "I'm just glad you're safe."

"Of course I'm safe. Why wouldn't I be safe?"

"Your midwife is the Wicked Witch," Killian told her, examining the window.

Mary Margaret looked around at them. "What? How do you know?"

"Gold told us," Emma said. "Neal brought him back before..." She trailed off.

Mary Margaret moved toward her. "Before what, Emma? What happened?"

Emma paused, finding tears gathering in her eyes again. "Neal's dead."

Mary Margaret hugged her daughter to her. "Emma, I'm so sorry."

Emma let a lone tear escape as her mother held her, David and Killian watching them.

* * *

David and Mary Margaret eventually left the loft to break the news to Belle, leaving Emma and Killian alone. The two were quiet until Killian broke the silence.

"Swan, are you alright?"

Emma sniffled. "Yeah. Yeah, I am." She saw Killian watching her, not believing her. "I will be. Are you?"

She studied him, noticing the slight redness of his eyes. He repeated her answer. "I will be."

Emma nodded to him. "I need to tell Henry. How do I tell him his father's dead?"

Killian watched her for a moment, contemplating. "Tell him the truth, that his father sacrificed himself in the end to help us."

Killian was grateful he was able to keep the bitterness out of his voice. Though he grieved Neal's death, he knew Neal's own actions were responsible for it.

Emma nodded, understanding Killian's trail of thought. Nevertheless, she was grateful to him. "Thank you, Hook. For being there, for... everything."

Killian nodded to her. "Go on. Go find your boy. If you need me, you know where to find me."

She stepped closer to him, nodding with a weak smile on her face as she gently squeezed his arm.

Emma left the loft to find Henry at the park. When she found him, She hesitated a few feet away from him, gathering her courage.

"How was it?" she asked him.

Henry turned around to her, smiling. "It was awesome. We should take more fishing trips when we get back home."

Henry took in Emma's mood. "Mom?"

Emma moved towards the bench. "Come here, kid."

Henry sat beside her as Emma put her arm around his shoulder.

"You were right," she told him. "I was not...completely honest with you about this case- this trip. The reason I brought us here is because... someone was in trouble, and the person who needed help was not a client. It was your father."

Henry seemed dazed. "This is about my dad?"

"Some bad people wanted to hurt him."

"Is he okay? Did you find him?" Henry asked, sounding anxious.

Emma took a breath, preparing herself. "I found him... but it was too late. He's gone, Henry."

Henry's face fell. Emma's voice broke. "He was a good man, and he would have been a good father."

"I wish I would have known him."

Emma chuckled, pulling her son to her. "You did."

"Mom, you're not making any sense right now."

"I know," she replied, grasping his hands.

"What happened to the person that did it?" Henry asked, looking up at her.

Emma sighed. "They got away... but I'm going to find them."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my delusions.

Emma stood by Henry as they buried Neal, Killian right beside her. They watched as the casket was lowered into the earth.

Killian was the first to break from the crowd, going to the mound of dirt with the shovel protruding from the pile. He pulled the shovel out with a sizeable about of dirt, and threw it over the coffin. Killian blinked back tears for the loss of the boy he knew. He wanted to remain strong.

David followed him, then Mary Margaret, then Regina, then Belle. It was then Henry's turn. He looked up to his mother, unsure. Emma nodded to him. Killian watched Emma as Henry threw the dirt, noticing how she pulled at the swan pendant around her neck. Emma releases it and grabbed the shovel, hesitating at the grave, saying goodbye to Neal one last time before she threw the dirt.

As she returned to the group, Killian squeezed her arm to comfort her. As soon as the pressure left, Emma made the decision. She couldn't risk caring for Killian only to possibly lose him like Neal. She couldn't lose him too.

* * *

Emma angrily threw the dart to the board. She was in Granny's, trying to blow off some steam and worrying about what she had to do.

Killian came up behind her. "Perhaps I should paint a bull's-eye on the Wicked Witch's back."

"She'll get more than a dart when I find her," Emma said in a deadly voice.

Killian moved his head back as she launched another dart. He took a breath. "I know you're hurting, Swan, but there are better ways to grieve Baelfire's death than letting anger overcome you."

Killian genuinely wanted to help Emma. He had abandoned his grief for anger, he knew that path of destruction it brought. He didn't want Emma to make his mistakes.

Emma turned to look at him, ready to push him away. "Let me guess. Rum?"

Killian pulled out his flask. "Never hurts," he said in a light tone, smiling at her, trying to lighten her mood.

"I'll stick with anger, at least until I deal with Zelena," Emma responded, shifting her weight.

Killian's face fell, his tone serious. He had to get through to her. "Then take it from me. Vengeance isn't the thing that's gonna make you feel better."

"It's gonna make this town sleep safer," Emma argued. "And I promised Henry I'd find the person responsible for his father's death."

She paused, both her and Killian glancing back to see Henry sitting at one of the booths with David and Mary Margaret.

"That's really all I can do for him right now."

Killian moved closer, shaking his head. "That can't be true. Have you tried talking to the boy?"

Emma looked up at him. "As far as he's concerned, I haven't seen Neal since he left me in jail. So, anything I tell him about his dad being a hero sounds like I'm making it up just to get him to feel better."

Killian had a thought as Emma spoke to him. He briefly shifted his eyes away. "Perhaps I can talk to him."

"About what?" Emma's tone was sarcastic. "Leather, conditioner, and eyeliner?"

Killian looked at Emma, knowing that this was her trying to push him away. He hesitated for a second, choosing his words. "I knew Bae as a boy. Perhaps Henry would like to hear what his father was like when he was his age."

He looked at Henry for a moment as he spoke, then returned his eyes to Emma. She was looking at him amazed, forgetting his past history with Neal. Emma couldn't believe Killian would actually do this for her.

"You'd really do that?"

Killian nodded. "Aye," he told her softly. "It could help the boy make peace with his father's passing. And me." He chuckled lightly.

Emma looked at him, knowing what her answer was. She had to warn him. She didn't want to lose him or Henry. "Be careful. Zelena's still out there."

"I assure you... nothing will happen to the boy while he's in my charge."

Emma held his gaze for a moment longer. She knew he would keep Henry safe, but she couldn't help worrying about him, too.

She turned and led him over to where Henry was sitting. "Henry, you remember Killian."

"Hello Henry," he greeted the boy.

"Hi," Henry responded. David and Mary Margaret looked up curiously at Emma and Killian.

"Hernry, Killian and your dad knew each other then they were your age," Emma told Henry, ignoring David's raised eyebrow. "If you want, he can tell you about him."

"Really?" Henry asked, looking between Emma and Killian. "I'd really like that."

"Well then, it's settled," Killian grinned between the mother and son. "We can walk down to the docks, and I can tell you all about your father."

Henry quickly got up and went to Killian's side. Emma walked with them to the back of the dinner, where she and Killian shared one last glace before they left, leaving Emma to return to her parents.

"How are you holding up?" David asked as she returned.

"How do you think?"

Mary Margaret pulled her to her. "Oh, Emma."

Emma returned the hug as David cradled her head, leaning his head against hers.

The door burst open, revealing Zelena, brandishing the Dark One's dagger.

Emma was insanely grateful that Henry and Killian had already left.

"My condolences," said Zelena. Everyone in the diner jumped to face her. Regina prepared for an attack. "I'm so sorry I missed the funeral, but I could never pass up a wake. Oh, did I miss the speeches? Shall I make one? I mean, I an, after all, responsible."

Emma made to lunge at her, but Mary Margaret held her back. "Emma, no. Too many people will get hurt."

Zelena looked at Emma. "Listen to your mother. She's right. Anyone who tries to interfere with my plan is gonna have to deal with the Dark One."

David moved in front of Mary Margaret, covering her swollen belly. "Don't come any closer."

"Don't worry," Zelena told David. "I'm not here for your baby. Not today, anyway."

"Then why _are_ you here?" Regina asked her.

Zelena turned to her. "Now that my cover's blown, I can finally pay a visit to my little sister."

Regina smirked. "Who the hell are you talking about?"

"Why, you, of course, Regina."

"What?" Emma asked amongst the murmurs.

"I'm an only child," Regina replied to the witch.

"Cora lied to you, Regina," Zelena told her. "I'm your sister. Half, if you want to get technical."

Regina waved her hand. "Why should I believe anything you say?"

"Oh, well, you shouldn't. It's alot to swallow. Which is why I've brought a gift to help."

Regina laughed. "I don't want a gift from you."

Zelena moved closer "Oh, but you shall have it. You see, my gift to you is this sad, sad day. Use it to dig into out past, Regina. You need to learn the truth, and you must believe it. And then come meet me on main street tonight. Say... sundown."

"And then what?" Regina smirked.

An envious look grew on Zelena's face. "Then I'll destroy you."

Regina leaned forward, not at all intimidated. "This isn't the wild west."

Zelena shook her head. "No, dear. It's the wicked west." She turned to leave. "And I want everyone to be there to see the Evil Queen lose."

Regina grinned. "I don't lose."

Zelena laughed before a menacing look crossed her face. "Neither do I. One of us is about to make history. See you tonight, sis."

Zelena laughed as she walked out of the diner.

* * *

Emma had contacted Killian to let him know of the situation with Zelena. Killian quickly assured her that he would keep Henry away from the square, and that he would keep Henry safe. Luckily, Henry didn't suspect a thing as they approached the docks.

"There. That one will do," Killian said coming up to a boat as they decended the ramp.

"Another boat?" Henry asked.

"You don't like the sea?" Killian asked. He had the idea to teach Henry to sail like he taught his father before him. He though it would help Henry feel closer to him.

"No, it's not that," Henry replied. "It's just, my mom always seems to pawn me off on her friends that have boats when she's working her case."

"Your mother didn't pawn you off on me. I wanted to bring you here."

"Why?" Henry asked him.

"Well, you might not believe this, but your father and I were mates long before he met your mother," Killian told him.

"What was he like?" Henry asked.

Killian threw his satchel onto the boat, grinning. "Hop aboard and you'll find out."

Henry quickly climbed in while Killian untied the rope securing it to the dock.

They eventually docked, using a raft to get to the beach, where Killian make a bonfire for Henry as the boy worked on knots. It was night time when he finished.

"I think I've tied every knot in here," he told Killian, setting down the book and rope he was given.

Killian looked up to the sky, seagulls squaring in the distance.

"When do we get to the part about my dad?" Henry asked.

Killian kept studying the sky, waiting for the stars to appear. "Just a few moments longer. There," he pointed. "Come here."

Henry rushed to his side eager for what Killian was going to teach him. Killian handed him the sextant he had been holding.

Henry looked at Killian curiously. "What's this?"

"That, my boy, is a sextant. It's a tool used by sailors to navigate," Killian informed him.

"Like a GPS?"

Killian looked at Henry for a moment, having no idea what he was talking about. "Aye."

He turned, gesturing to the sky, a grin on his face. "It measures our position using the stars."

Henry looked at him curiously. "I'm not sure that's what a GPS does, but what does it have to do with my dad?"

"Well, I tought him to navigate with one, just like I'm gonna teach you."

"Were you both in the Navy or something?"

"No, Bae-," Killian quickly caught himself. He had to remember to call Bae Neal. "Neal was just a boy when I taught him."

Henry took a step back, studying him. "Wait. Aren't you the same age?"

 _Bloody hell_ , Killian thought. He immediately realized he messed up again.

Henry continued. "It seems like the more you guys tell me about my dad, the less things make sense. I don't want to learn how to navigate. I- I just want to hear something about him that doesn't make him sound like he's made up so I'll like the guy."

Killian knew he had to fix things quickly. "Your mother isn't keeping things from you because she doesn't want you to know the truth."

Henry swiftly cut in. "I know. She's doing it to protect me, but how am I supposed to feel anything about him being gone if I don't know what he was like while he was here?"

Killian understood Henry's concerns. He knew that he really didn't know his father at all. A soft smile graced Killian's face. "Fair enough, mate," he told him quietly.

He looked down before he continued in a louder voice. "What I haven't told you is why I taught your father to sail. Because he'd just lost his father. I thought the sea would help ease his sorrow."

"Wait," Henry asked. "He lost his dad, too?"

"Aye," Killian responded quietly. "To something dark and evil when he wasn't much older than you."

"Really?"

"Indeed. You see, you might not think you know much about your father, but you have more in common with him than you realize."

Henry smiled and nodded, turning up to the night sky. Killian watched him for a moment, remembering when he was willing to give up a life of piracy to be a father to Bae. He knew he'd instantly do it for Henry, already beginning to view the boy as a son.

He looked up, ready to begin Henry's lesson.

* * *

Eventually, Killian took Henry back to the inn where Emma was waiting for them.

"Thanks Killian," Henry said. "Maybe we can go out on your boat again sometime."

"Anytime, lad," Killian replied.

"Hey," Emma greeted Henry as he moved past her to enter their room. As soon as the door shut, Emma and Killian's eyes met, a serious look exchanged between the two.

"How did the queen fare against the witch?"

Emma shrugged. "She survived, but the rest is definitely more than a doorway conversation."

Killian nodded, still looking at her.

Emma looked up at him. "Thanks for taking him."

Killian shifted his eyes. "There's more Bae in your boy than you realize. He needs to know about his father, Emma."

Killian, knowing Emma still planned to flee as soon as she could, decided to try to persuade her. He couldn't let her push him away and run. "You can't just take him back to New York when this is over and pretend none of this is real."

Emma turned away as he spoke, knowing if she looked him in the eyes, her resolve would crumble, that she would stay. She paused for a moment, then turned back to him. "Thanks again."

She turned and entered her room, leaving Killian standing in the hallway.

As Emma shut the door, she leaned against it, closing her eyes.

"That's why I need to leave," she whispered to herself. "Because it is real."

Killian returned to his room where he took off his coat, throwing it over a chair. He sat at the edge of the bed, contemplating. He knew he had to convince Emma not to leave. He knew he had to convince Emma to let her walls down, to let him in. He just had to figure out how.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my delusions.

After Emma arranged her lessons in magic with Regina, Emma began to get ready to drop Henry off with Killian. She wasn't sure how to explain to her parents that her son loved spending time with the pirate. She had to admit it was comical watching David and Mary Margaret sputtering, claiming they were plenty of fun. But she wanted to give them a break. And Emma trusted Killian. She knew he would do anything to keep Henry safe. She knew that he would do this for her.

Emma and Henry approached Killian down at the docks, where Killian was giving Smee a dark look, saying something to him. Emma couldn't hear what he said as they came closer. Smee scurried off, and Emma told Henry to wait where he was at so she could speak to Killian without Henry hearing. Henry pulled out his phone as Emma moved towards Killian.

"Didn't he used to be a rat?" Emma asked Killian.

"Aye," Killian replied. "In many ways, he still is." He turned around to face her. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Swan?"

Emma quickly looked back to Henry to make sure he couldn't hear them. "Um... I was wondering if you could take care of Henry again.

Killian moved closer to her, a flirtatious grin stretching across his lips. "If you want to get close to me, you just need to ask. There's no need to use the lad as an excuse."

Emma was not amused. "Why am I not surprised you're making this about _you_? I need your help, 'cause Regina needs to train me in magic. We think together, we might be able to defeat the Wicked Witch."

"That's the first reasonable plan I've heard since this all began," Killian replied. He wanted to encourage and support her. He gave her a soft smile, which only grew with every word he spoke. "Magic is a part of you, Swan. Don't forget- I was there when Cora tried to steal your heart. I saw the power inside of you. It's about time you embraced it. It's what makes you the Savior."

"I'm not embracing anything," Emma cut in, her tone harsh. "I need to learn magic to defeat Zelena and make sure everyone here is safe. After that, I'm done."

"Done with what, exactly?" Killian asked her, his smile knowing.

Emma looked toward Henry before facing Killian again. "He doesn't belong here- not anymore. He belongs in the real world, in New York, and the life that he remembers. It was good. And it didn't involve vile villians."

Killian knew he had to convince her, change her mind. He mover even closer. "What about the life _you_ remember? You can't just pretend like this never happened. Trust me. I spent the last year trying to do just that- return to the person I used to be- and it didn't work."

Emma did trust him, and she knew that was her problem. He had managed to break through enough walls already. She knew what he was trying to couldn't let him break through any more. But she was curious. "Why? What happened over the last year that you're not telling me?"

"It matters not," Killian responded immediately. "Just take it from me just this once. No matter how much you wish you could go back to your old life... you can't."

Emma broke away from his intense blue gaze. She knew exactly what he was talking about. 'There's not a day that will go by that I won't think of you' kept running through her head. She knew he was right. She looked back up to him.

"I have to try. Take care of Henry."

"I will," Killian told her. Emma turned on her heel, and after squeezing Henry's shoulder, took off, at war with herself.

* * *

Killian accompanied Ariel on her search for Eric, his guilt eating at him. He knew what no matter what he did, he could never take back his actions against her. He had to live with the knowledge that he traded Eric's life for the Jolly Roger. He threw Black Beard to the sharks just to so he wouldn't become soft. He remembered Ariel's words, how she rebuked him, saying that he was leading himself to wasted years and endless torment. And he knew there was nothing he could do.

And now Ariel knew that Eric was dead. And it was all because of him. He watched the hope fade from her eyes as the cloak sunk into the depths of the ocean.

He had to tell her the truth. He rushed through the docks, chasing after her as she left.

"Ariel! Wait!"

Ariel immediately stopped, turning to him as he approached.

"What is it?" she asked him.

"I have a confession," Killian told her, his voice laced with guilt. "I haven't been entirely truthful with you- with _myself._ You and I met before. Out paths crossed during the missing year."

Ariel stared at him. "What?"

Killian sighed, preparing himself. "Eric had been kidnapped by the pirate Black Beard. You asked me to find him."

"I- I don't understand," Ariel said. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I was too ashamed," Killian admitted. "I sacrificed saving your prince for my ship. I am so sorry, Ariel."

His voice broke.

Ariel shook her head, tears in her eyes. She slapped him. Killian gingerly touched where she struck him.

"You're a coward!" Ariel hissed. "And a monster! You let a man die for your ship?! What kind of person does that?"

"The kind who's empty, who believes that a ship can fill a void left by a broken heart," Killian replied, his guilt swallowing him.

"And that makes it okay?!" she yelled at him.

"No, it doesn't. I would give anything to take it back, to make things right," Killian pleaded.

"Anything?"Ariel said cruelly.

"Yes- anything."

Ariel looked straight at him. "How am I supposed to trust a man who no longer believes in love?"

"I still do," Killian replied, his voice weak.

"Then swear to me on it. This woman that broke your heart- do you still love her?"

Killian's answer was a whisper. "Yes."

"Then swear to me on her name."

"I swear on Emma Swan."

Ariel smirked cruelly. "Thank you, Captain. That's exactly what I needed to hear."

Ariel brought up her hand then released her fist. Killian's lips glowed green, causing him to cover his face with his hand, a strange sensation passing over them.

"What the hell?" he muttered as he released his face. He looked up, and green smoke surrounded Ariel, transforming her into Zelena.

"Zelena? It was you."

Anger instantly took over as he unsheathed his cutlass. "Where's Ariel?"

Zelena waved her arm, throwing his sword into the boat next to them. "Relax. She was never really here. After she left you on your beloved ship, she actually found where Black Beard had been keeping her prince."

"She found him," Killian breathed out. He was relieved Ariel found Eric despite what he had done. "How do you know that?"

"My spies are always cirrcling, Captain, through every realm- always circling," Zelena answered. "She found him on Hangman's Island, which was outside the force of the curse. They've been living happily ever after since. Don't you just love a good twist?"

"I don't understand," Killian said. "Why would you pretend to be her?"

"To corrupt your love," Zelena said with relish. "As I've said earlier, I've known about your dirty little secret for quite some time- seen the guilt on your face over the decision you made that day. I knew it haunted you. And I knew I could use it."

"Use it for what?" Killian asked suspiciously.

"When you invoked the name of your love in a selfish plea for redemption, I was able to curse you- more specifically, your kiss. See, the next time your lips touch Emma Swan's, all of her magic will be taken. Everything that makes her special, that makes her powerful, that makes her a threat will be gone."

"I won't do it," he told her. "I'll tell her, and she'll defeat you."

Zelena sneered. "Then I'll send the Dark One to kill her before you can."

Killian studied her for a moment, calling her bluff. "No, you won't. If you could have killed her, you _would_ have." Zelena inhaled deeply, angry he saw through her. "You need her power removed. That's why you didn't kill her when she came to the town. It's why you had a monkey look after her in New York instead of killing her. For some reason... you _can't. "_

Zelena pursed her lips. "It no longer matters, because you're going to remove her powers. I may not be able to hurt Emma, but I can hurt those around her- her parents, her friends... her child."

Killian's rage instantly sparked. He would not let her touch Henry. "Do not go near them."

Zelena laughed. "Oh, yes. You've become quite fond of the boy, haven't you? I will enjoy turning him into a monkey's breakfast."

"I'll stop you," he vowed.

"No, you won't. That pointy, little hook of yours can scratch a mere mortal, but _me_?" She laughed again before she snarled at him. "You're out of your depth, pirate. The choice is yours. Kiss Emma and remove her powers or everyone she loves dies."

Zelena then vanished in a cloud of green smoke, leaving Killian alone on the docks.

He made his way back to the loft. He had to talk to Emma. As soon as he reached his destination, he knocked on the door with his hook. Emma pulled the door open.

Killian was surprised to see her at the loft already. He was prepared to wait with Mary Margaret and David until she arrived. "Swan? I didn't expect to see you here."

Emma was instantly on alert. "What do you mean? Where's Henry? Is everything all right?"

"He's fine," he told her quickly. "He's with his grandparents. I thought they might be back here."

"We haven't seen them," Emma replied, indicating Regina, who was sitting at the table. "If you're not with Henry, what have you been doing all day?"

Killian looked down, suddenly nervous. He walked inot the apartment. "I was enlisted to help Ariel find her lost prince."

"Really?" Regina asked. "That fish is in Storybrooke?"

He looked at Regina. "She _was_ , yes. And we found a clue in Gold's shop which led us to discover that Eric had been shipwrecked on Hangman's Island, just of the coast of the Enchanted Forest."

"Zelena's curse must not have reached the far," Emma mused.

"Ariel's on her way there now. She wanted me to say goodbye to Mary Margaret for her," Killian said.

"Oh," was Emma's response.

"At the rate mermaids swim, she's probably already there," Regina offered. Killian slightly nodded. "In fact, let's find out."

Regina got up, moving to the mirror in Mary Margaret's room, Emma and Killian following her.

Emma was confused. "I thought you couldn't use mirror magic to look between worlds."

"I can't," Regina told her simply. "But after seeing the raw power you possess, I think maybe _you_ can."

Killian sighed, scared that Emma cold do it, that she was that powerful. "There's no need. I'm sure she's fine. Anyway, it's bad form to spy on such a private affair."

"How do I do it?" Emma asked Regina, ignoring Killian's words. Killian blinked, slightly hurt for her disregarding him.

Regina answered Emma. "Well, you've focused. You've let the emotions awaken your power. Now you have to look inward."

Emma closed her eyes as Killian and Regina waited in anticipation. The mirror shimmered, and Emma opened her eyes. They all observed Eric lifting Ariel, spinning them around on a distant shore.

Killian looked down, knowing Zelena's ultimatum. He couldn't take her power from her. He couldn't do that to her. But he also couldn't let her family die.

Emma whispered to Killian, amazed. " _You_ did this? You brought them together?"

"No," he responded. "It was Ariel. She never stopped believing."

"Modesty?" Emma asked in disbelief. "You're just full of surprises today."

The door opened again, revealing Mary Margaret, David, and Henry.

Emma looked to her son. "Where have you guys been?"

"Only having the best day ever," Henry responded. He proceeded to tell them about driving David's truck, and the mailbox, which like any mothers, Emma and Regina panicked over. Emma smirked as David told of his 'reckless, carefree, fun side,' knowing exactly what it was a response to. Killian stayed quiet.

Mary Margaret looked up at Killian. "Killian? Where's our friend?"

Killian answered carefully, as not to alert Henry. "It turns out her missing... husband was back home after all."

"It's true," Emma vouched for him. "We just checked in on them on... skype."

"She sends her regards," Killian added, "but she was too excited to wait."

Mary Margaret smiled. "A happy ending. Well, maybe our luck's about to change. Dinner at Granny's?"

"Can I drive?" Henry asked.

He was met with a chorus of "no."

Killian turned to the door, wanting to be alone so he could figure out what to do. "Well, I guess I'll leave you guys to it."

Emma knew something was wrong. She followed hI'm to the door. "You're not coming?"

Killian looked at her. "Another time, perhaps."

"Well, I'd you change your mind, you know where we'll be."

Killian gave her a forced smile as he retreated.

Emma quickly thought it over. She was quick to deny Regina earlier, when the queen spoke of the 'doe-y eyes' that people say with her and Killian. She quickly said she didn't do it, but she knew from Regina's expression, she did. Emma's denial was enough of an admission.

"And, Killian..." he stopped, turning towards her. "Whatever happened this past year, whatever you're not telling me... I don't care. I'm tired of living in the past."

Killian gave her a slight nod. "I know how you feel."

He turned and walked down the stairs. Emma watched him decend, knowing something was wrong. She was worried about him.

* * *

Killian stood across the street from the diner, at war with himself. He pulled out his spyglass he had recovered from Gold's shop, and quickly picked out Emma. He saw her laughing with her family. As he put down the spyglass, he knew he couldn't risk her family. But he also knew he just take away her magic. He didn't know what to do. Finally, he decided to tell Emma.

He went back to thi inn's sitting room, intend on waiting for Emma. He couldn't tell her while she was the diner with her family. He couldn't ruin that moment of peace.

He didn't know how long he say watching the fire, waiting for her until she and Henry arrived. He immediately got up and greeted her. "Swan, would you mind if we spoke in private?"

Emma was curious, hoping he would finally tell her what was wrong. "Yeah, sure."

She turned to Henry. "Hey, Henry, why don't you go up and get ready for bed?"

Henry shrugged. "Alright." He looked over at Killian. "Night, Killian."

Killian nodded, smiling as Henry turned away. "Good night, lad."

Once Henry was away, Emma turned on Killian, concern written on her face. "Okay, what's wrong?"

Killian scratched behind his ear. "You're aware that I had assisted Ariel today. Well, it was actually Zelena disguised as Ariel."

Emma gasped. "What? Are you alright?"

Killian shook his head, preparing himself. "I'm fine, love. But, well... she did curse me."

Anger sparked in Emma. "How can you be okay if she cursed you?"

Killian took a breath. "She cursed my lips, so that when I kiss you, you're magic will be taken away. She said that if I didn't, she'll kill your family. I can't take away your magic, Emma, but I'll do everything I can to protect your family. Emma, I'm so sorry."

Emma took in Killian's grief stricken face. She was angry. This was why Emma didn't want to care for the man before her. Why she tried to push him away, so he couldn't hurt her. So he couldn't be used to hurt her. She wanted to comfort and reassure him, but she couldn't. She was too angry.

She lashed out. "Thank you for telling me. But my family's strong, and I will protect them. If Zelena wants you to take away my magic, that means I _can_ protect them. And you don't have to worry about kissing me. I told you in Neverland, that was a one time thing."

Emma looked away, unable to watch as Killian's face fell at her harsh words. He didn't say anything, unable to respond to her.

"Goodnight, Hook," Emma told him as she turned and left, leaving him standing by the fire. She instantly felt guilty for hurting him, but she pushed the feeling away. She had to protect herself.

Killian slumped back into his chair, not knowing what to do. He knew Emma and her family were strong, but he was worried. He would do everything to keep them safe, especially Henry.

Some time later, Killian returned to his room. A restful sleep evaded both him and Emma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my delusions.

Emma woke early, after another restless night of sleep. She thought some of the guilt she felt for the harsh words she uttered to Killian the night before would subside, but if anything, the guilt had only intensified.

She completely understood why Killian was so reluctant to tell her. He was placed with what he viewed as an impossible choice. She really did feel for him.

Regret stabbed at her like a dull blade as she remembered what she said to him, remembered his hurt expression. She knew she needed her magic to help defeat Zelena, but she couldn't let anything happen to her family. Killian knew all of that as well. He had told her himself that he would do everything he could to protect her family. And she threw it back into his face.

Emma was still angry that Zelena was using Killian against her. She knew Zelena knew there was something going on between them, and Emma hated her for it.

She knew that none of this was Killian's fault. She hoped that overnight, he had come to understand why she was pushing him away, but she knew that the guilt she felt would keep nagging at her. She had to talk to him, soon.

* * *

Killian sat lounging in a chair, turning a green apple in his hand when Emma entered the room. She immediately spotted him.

"I'd watch out for the apples in this house," she told him.

"Aye," he replied, not looking at her.

Emma could tell by his tone that he was still hurt by her harsh words the previous night. A fresh wave of guilt shot through her. She tries to lighten the mood. "It was a joke. Where's your sense of humor?"

Killian tossed the apple aside to stand. "It left when the witch arrived."

She sought to begin to make amends, to ease his mind. "Well, we're gonna take care of that. Regina said she has a plan."

"I'm sure she does," he responded, his tone solemn. Another shot of guilt.

"No, we didn't," David said to Mary Margaret as Emma and Killian approached the table he and his wife sat at. David looked to his daughter as she and Killian sat down. "Emma, will you please tell your mother that we'really not gonna name your brother Leopold?"

Mary Margaret looked incredulous. "Uh, why not? It was my father's name."

Emma looked between her parents, not wanting to get in the middle of their debate.

David responded to his wife. "People will make fun of him."

"My father was a king," told him, sticking to her arguement.

"Which is why nobody made fun of him."

Killian sat, looking exasperated when his head finally left his hand. He thought the whole thing was rather ridiculous.

"Okay, what about Eva, after my mother?" Mary Margaret asked her husband.

Emma continued watching her parents with facination.

David looked at Mary Margaret. "I don't know how well that'll work with a boy."

"It might not be a boy," Mary Margaret responded, smirking at him.

Regina entered the room. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I was making this special tea."

Regina began pouring the tea into the small cups on the table. David lifted his, about to bring it to his lips.

Regina immediately stopped him. "No! Don't... drink it. It's a deadly poison for summoning the dark vortex."

"I prefer Earl Grey," David replied to her.

"The dark what?" Emma asked Regina.

Regina took a breath before she began. "Zelena came by this morning." Everyone looked up at her. "While the Dark One was stealing my heart, she was here gloating. She said that my weakness was that I don't know enough about her past, so I've decided to summon someone who does. We have to talk to my mother."

Regina looked at Mary Margaret as she finished, watching for her reaction. Mary Margaret looked back at Regina, shocked.

A moment of silence passed between them, before Regina turned off the lights, leaving the fireplace as their only source of illumination. Emma could not believe she was actually called to do a seance.

"It's a fairly simple ritual buts it's not often performed," Regina continued.

"If it's easy to talk to the dead, why not do it more?" Emma asked.

Regina immediately answered her. "Well, because to do it, you need the murder weapon and... the murderer."

Mary Margaret gasped as David released a sigh. Both Emma and Killian wondered what they were getting themselves into.

Regina struck a match, lighting both ends of the candle that killed Cora.

Emma sucked in a breath. "What do _we_ need to do?"

Regina placed her hands on the table, extending them to Emma and David. "Focus on Cora."

"Welcoming thoughts?" Killian asked sarcasticly, reaching for Mary Margaret.

"Whatever you got," Regina told him.

Emma met Killian's eyes as she layed her hand on his leather brace. He understood what she wanted to say to him.

"Is it-" Emma began, her eyes closed.

Regina shushed her. Emma opened her eyes to look at her before quickly closing them again.

The group sat around the table, eyes closed and hands embraced. The flame of the candle flickered, and the fireplace went out. An eerie feeling surrounded them. There was suddenly a flickering above them, as a blue portal opened. They all looked up.

"We did it," Mary Margaret said, amazed.

Regina called up to the vortex. "Cora? Mother, can you hear us? Cora, give us a sign."

They waited a moment before Regina tried again. "Do not ignore me now, Mother. Please. You owe me this."

The table suddenly jerked beneath them. Mary Margaret released David and Killian's hands, gasping. Everyone else flinched, the connection breaking and the vortex vanishing.

Killian looked sheepish but amused. He scratched behind his ear. "Sorry, love. That was me. I crossed my legs and bumped the table."

Regina sighed, looking back up at the ceiling before looking down, closing her eyes in defeat. She blew out the candle, Killian with a wry grin still in his face.

"Do we try it again?" Mary Margaret asked Regina.

"No," Regina responded. "There's no point. It worked. The portal opened, but... nothing came from it. She doesn't want to talk to me. I guess whatever secrets lie in her past, she wants to keep buried there."

Eventually, they cleared out the room.

"Maybe Belle will have more luck," David told them. "There has to be something that can help us."

"Right," Emma agreed. "My magic gets more powerful every day. By the time this all goes down, I'll be ready."

Emma and Killian avoided looking at each other as she spoke.

Regina looked at Emma, concerned. "Make... sure you are."

Killian, looked guilty, unable to not think of Zelena's ultimatum.

Emma looked at him and her father. "Come on, let's go."

Killian placed a hand on her back as she decended the stairs to the front door, following close behind.

Emma looked at Killian. "Granny's?"

He nodded. "Aye. That sounds good."

David went to go back to the loft, while Emma and Killian made their way to Granny's. Because of the late hour, they had the play to themselves. Killian tucked himself into a booth with a large tome, intent on research, while Emma sat up at the counter, practicing teleporting her hot cocoa.

Emma sat, focusing on moving the cup from its spot on the counter to the table occupied by Killian. Finally, the cup dissapeared, reappearing in the center of his book.

"Boom!" Emma exclaimed as she slapped the counter, clearly proud of herself. "Granny's to go. I should open a franchise."

She turned around and made her way over to Killian as he moved the cup off his book. "It's impressive."

Emma threw herself into the bench across from him. She grinned at him. "You want to see something really impressive?"

Killian sighed as she flicked her wrist, his hook appearing on the coat rack behind her. Emma chucked as Killian glanced down to his brace before getting up to retrieve his hook.

"That's bad form, Swan- tampering with a man's hook." Killian was clearly not in the mood, worried.

Emma chuckled again. "Okay, seriously, what is up with you?"

Killian clicked his hook back into place and sat back down. "I apologize for my rudeness."

It finally dawned on Emma, guilt creeping up again. "It's her threat isn't it?"

Killian pulled his flask, taking a drink. "Aye."

Emma's voice grew very soft. "Listen Killian, about last night-"

They both looked up, alarmed, when the door burst open, Belle rushing in.

She hurried inside, panting. "Emma! Emma, I found it!"

She placed the book between Emma and Killian, opening it to a page. "We have to tell Regina and the others."

"Okay, Belle, slow down," Emma said calmly. "What did you find?"

"Zelena's plan," Belle panted. She glanced between her and Killian. "I figured out what she's doing."

* * *

Emma called David, and the four of them rushed back over to Regina's, only to find the door stuck and strange, panicked noises coming from inside. David kicked in the door, and they rushed up the stairs, finding Mary Margaret slumped in a chair in the room they tried the seance, and Regina closing the vortex.

"What the hell was that?!" Emma asked her.

"Cora," Regina answered simply. She turned around to study Mary Margaret, worried. "Is she okay?"

David kneeled before Mary Margaret, trying to rouse her. "Mary Margaret, can you hear me?"

Mary Margaret's voice was weak. "Cora... not what we thought. She's trying to communicate."

"She was?" Regina asked her. "What did she say?"

"Leopold, my... mother... my mother..."

David tried to calm her. "Mary Margaret, relax."

Emma looked at them, concerned. "She's not making sense. We need to call a doctor."

Regina turned on Emma. "If she knows something that could help us-"

"Regina," David raised his voice, "it's gonna have to wait."

"It can't wait!" she snapped at him. "If we want to stop Zelena we have to know what the hell she's doing and why!"

"I can help with half of that," Belle spoke up.

Emma, David, and Regina looked up at her.

"What?" Regina asked.

"She's planning on going back... back in time."

Regina gave Belle a critical look. "Are you certain?"

Belle nodded.

"No one's ever been able to cast a spell to go back in time," Regina said, trying to figure out if what Belle said was true.

"Well," Belle responded, "clearly, she thinks she can succeed. I mean, brains, courage, a- a resilient heart- those ingredirects are in every time-travel spell I've found."

"But why go back in time?" David asked. "I mean, we have no idea what she's trying to accomplish."

"I do," Mary Margaret spoke up. Everyone turned to watch her. "She- she didn't..."

"Don't push yourself," David told her softly.

"She didn't want to give up Zelena," Mary Margaret continued. "She was forced to by- mm. By my mother. Princess Eva... She told a secret... Just like I did."

"Wait," Emma cut in. "I thought our family were the good guys."

Mary Margaret leaned her head back and sighed.

Regina responded. "Life is too messy for it to ever be that simple."

"You're saying that if it wasn't for Snow's mother, Cora would have kept Zelena," David said.

" _She_ would have been tutored by Rumplestilskin," Belle added.

"All if it weren't for this Princess Eva?" Killian finally spoke up.

"So that means..." Emma trailed off.

"Zelena's going back to kill my mother," Mary Margaret finished.

"You'll have never been born," Regina gasped.

"I'm guessing this is where your help ends," Emma said, turning to Regina.

Regina looked at Emma. "Now think it through, Ms. Swan. That means you'll have never been born, and neither will Henry," Regina ended, horrified.

Mary Margaret looked to Regina. "And on this different path, Regina, you may not be, either."

"It's a good thing no one has ever succeeded with this time travel nonsense," Killian told them.

"The baby," David realized, worried.

"What?" Killian asked.

"It's what's missing," David continued. "That's why none have succeeded. Somehow, some way, our baby is the key." Everyone looked alarmed by his statement. "Zelena went to alot of effort to get close to our unborn child. That's what she's after."

"What is she gonna do with...?" Mary Margaret asked, unable to even think of the possibilities.

"It doesn't matter," David said firmly, leaning down and placing his hands on Mary Margaret's stomach. "She's not gonna get it. We're gonna stop her. Since our baby's not born, she's stuck, and we have what we need- time."

Mary Margaret sat for a moment, rubbing her belly before she responded to him. "Just not very much of it."

Eventually, everyone began to clear out of Regina's house. Emma, after receiving assurance from David and Mary Margaret that everything was okay and that Mary Margaret just needed to rest, offered Killian a ride back to Granny's. He accepted.

They were quiet as they made their way back to the inn. They reached the parlor when Emma finally spoke up. "Hey, Hook, can we talk?"

Killian, who was beginning to make his way to his room, turned around to face her.

Emma swallowed, her guilt plain on her face. "Look, about last night..."

Killian shook his head, cutting her off. "It's fine, Swan. I get it."

Emma vehemently shook her head back at him. "No, it's not fine. You did nothing wrong, but I took everything out on you. I was angry about Zelena, that shes treatened my family, and is trying to use you against me. But it got taken out on you. I'm sorry."

Killian absorbed her words as she spoke. He moved closer to her, stopping when he stood directly before her. He watched her for just a moment, her eyes downcast, before reaching out to tentatively place his hand along her jaw. Emma's eyes shot up, amazed that he was actually comforting her.

Killian's voice was soft. "Swan, it's all right. I know exactly why you were so angry, and I don't hold it against you. We will get through this. And I promise you, I will do everything in my power to protect them, especially your lad."

Emma couldn't believe him. She was cruel to him, yet he was standing there with her, promising to help her. She tried to push him away from her, but he was still willing to remain by her side. Emma couldn't help wondering what she did to deserve him. She gently placed her hand over his, smiling weakly at him. Her voice was just a whisper. "Thank you."

Killian smiled back at her, understanding exactly what she was thanking him for. "We will defeat the witch. I know you will."

Emma smiled at him one again, trying to ignore the feelings his touch and words were sending through her.

They both lowered their hands, making their way to the hallway leading them to their respective rooms.

Emma looked over to him. "Good night, Hook."

He nodded in return. "Good night, Swan."

Both were able to go to bed with a sense of peace over them, knowing that no matter what was about to come, they would face it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my delusions.

Emma walked into the parlor, surprised Killian was not there already. Regina, Mary Margaret, and David were anxious to begin looking for the storybook, but Emma wanted to wait. She still was reluctant to have Henry remember everything, and she was nervous about where Killian was. It wasn't like him to be late. After some pushing, Emma reluctantly agreed to begin the search for the book, hoping Killian would catch up to them soon.

* * *

Killian jerked awake in a dark, enclosed space. He tried to get his bearings, knowing that he was confined to a small space, there was a lot of noise, and he was moving. He knew he was in the trunk of a car. He checked his bindings, finding he could not loosen then, nor could he remove the gag in his mouth.

He thought back to what had happened, to the events that could have led him to being held there. He remembered waking up and receiving the note from Emma under his door, that they were to meet later with her parents and Regina to discuss how to proceed with defeating the witch. He remembered leaving the inn, going to get food before he was supposed to meet Emma and her family, but on the way back, he felt a presence behind him. Before he could find the identity of who was tailing him, he had instantly lost consciousness. He easily knew it was someone with magic, which could only mean it was either Zelena or Rumplestilskin.

He felt the car decelerate, then stop. The driver's door opened, then slammed shut, footsteps nearing where he was. He heard a second set of footsteps approach his prison, this time with the distinct sound of heels. He knew instantly his assumptions were correct before he saw them.

"A rose," he heard Rumple say. "How lovely."

"Have you earned it?" Zelena asked Rumple.

The trunk opened, the light instantly blinding him. As soon as Killian's eyes focused, he saw Zelena and Rumplestilskin standing be the open trunk.

"It appears you have," Zelena said.

Zelena reached over to Killian, removing the material from his mouth.

He sighed, keeping his voice cool. "We really in Storybrooke. You never heard of a telephone?"

Zelena chuckled, holding the red rose out to caress his face. "Such pretty lips. They're so wasted. Why haven't you used those luscious lips and kissed Emma?"

"Well, a fella likes to be courted," Killian replied sarcasticly, giving her a wry grin.

"This isn't a joke. I need to have her magic removed. If Snow's baby is born before your kiss, I'm going to have no other option . I'm going to have to start killing people- people that Emma loves, starting with her son."

Killian's clenched his jaw. He had promised Emma he wouldn't let any harm come to Henry. He grunted as Zelena tossed the rose on to his chest, trying to free himself of his bonds.

Zelena's voice was sharp. "Take away her magic, Captain, or the next rose will be for her little brat's grave.

Killian made one last struggle against the bonds as Zelena slammed the trunk door over him. He knew he had to get to Henry and get him out of Storybrooke.

* * *

Killian waited by Emma's yellow Bug, leaning against Ruby's car.. He knew Henry was fed up with not knowing what was going on, so he knew he wouldn't have to do alot of convining to get Henry to cooperate.

Henry soon appeared with Emma's car keys in hand, not noticing Killian at all. Killian decided to make his presence known. "Where are you off to there, mate?"

Henry spun around to face him, trying to hide what he was doing. "Uh, nowhere."

Killian kept his tone casual. "You're in quite the rush to go nowhere."

Henry debated for a split second before he cracked. "Fine. I'm... going home."

Killian looked down momentarily, knowing his job would be easy, he moved closer to Henry. "Hmm. You're running away."

Henry sighed, shaking his head. "Whatever."

"So you're planning on driving all the way back to New York. One lesson and you think you're ready for that?"

"No, just to the nearest bus station," Henry told him.

Killian slightly cocky his head. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that. It's too dangerous."

Henry turned away to open the driver's side door of the Bug. "I don't care what you think."

Killian reached around him, pushing the door closed. "Well, you should.. 'Cause I've got a better way."

Killian grinned and raised his eyebrow at Henry, knowing he had Henry won over.

He led Henry to the docks, where they easily found Smee. It had began snowing on their trip there, coating the ground in fresh snow.

Killian gestured to Smee. "Henry, this is...," he trailed off, not knowing what to say. He couldn't blow his cover by telling the boy that Smee was his first mate. "A friend of mine, Mr. Smee."

Henry turned to look at the man in question, his interest instantly quipped. "Like from "Peter Pan"?"

"You- you temember?" Smee sputtered out.

There was a slight laugh in Henry's voice. "I've seen the movie a million times."

Killian immediately jumped in. "It's quite a common name in the seafaring world. As luck would have it, he's making sail to New York and would be happy for the company."

Killian smiled over to Henry.

"I am?" Smee asked, clearly confused.

Killian slowly turned to look at him, giving him a sharp look. Smee instantly back tracked, worried about furthering upsetting his captain. He smiled at Henry, nodding. "I mean... I am."

"Really?" Henry asked. "Where's your ship.

"Um..." Smee instantly began to scan the docks, looking for a ship it appease Henry. He pointed to the one directly behind them. "There she is."

"You're stealing it, right?" Henry's tone was critical.

"You want to go to New York or not?" Killian asked him, getting impatient. He didn't know how much time they had, and he was kicking himself for enlisting Smee to assist him.

Henry hesitated, trying to decide something. Finally, he looked up at Killian. "Why are you helping me?"

Killian looked down, trying to put his answer into words that Henry could understand.

"Captain?" Smee suddenly said, looking off into the distance. Killian followed his gaze, instantly spying what had Smee so worried.

Killian's voice was quiet but urgent. "Mr. Smee, we need to get the lad to the boathouse."

"Why? What's going on?" Henry asked, turning to look towards what the men were seeing.

Some of Zelena's monkeys was making its way to them, just visible through the snow. He had run out of time, and now Zelena was coming for Henry.

Henry's voice was panicked. "Killian, what is that?!"

"Now!" Killian shouted, grabbing Henry and taking off to the boathouse. The monkeys screeched, gaining on them.

Henry entered the shelter first, closely followed by Killian and Smee. Smee closed the door behind them. "What now, Captain?!"

Killian quickly examined the area, looking for an escape for Henry. He drew his pistol. He pointed to the far end of the boathouse. "Take the boy there- far exit. Find a new boat. I'll stay here to deal with our winged friends."

He looked directly at Henry. "Henry, go with Smee! Don't stop no matter what you hear."

Henry nodded weakly to him before he ran right behind Smee, while Killian waited at his spot, his pistol pointed, waiting for the monkeys.

Henry stopped, pressing against a boat, right as the first monkey appeared in open sidea of the boathouse. His blood ran cold as the monkey screeched. Smee kept running, not noticing Henry wasn't with him.

Killian noticed Henry, moving toward him. "Henry, go!" He shouted.

Henry took of running again, right as the monkeys came into the enclosed area. Killian fired at the first one, the shot ringing out as the monkey burst into flame and disintegrated into ash. Killian quickly cocked the gun again, shooting a second monkey.

In his haste, Henry didn't see the think rope lying directly in his path. His foot caught, causing him to tumble to the floor, with one of the monkeys perching on one of the beams on the ceiling, readying it's attack.

Killian panicked. "Go!"

He aimed at the monkey, but the gun just clicked. Killian's face fell. He had run out of bullets, and Henry was about to be killed.

The monkey launched. Right when it was about to reach Henry, the loud bang of a modern gun rang out, the monkey turning to ash like the others.

Henry looked up, seeing Emma with her gun drawn, an angry expression on her face. She was followed closely by David, Regina, and Mary Margaret.

Another monkey jumped up, readying an attack, when David expertly threw his sword straight through the monkey's heart. David ran to retrieve his weapon when another monkey screeched.

"I never liked pets," Regina said as she conjured a fireball, launching it to the monkey as Emma shot the last one.

Emma rushed to Henry, who was frozen on the ground. She quickly glanced at Killian, making sure he was all right, as she helped Henry up. "Henry! Are you okay?

Henry was in shock. "Yeah- y- what were those things?!" Henry saw David putting his sword back into its . "Why does he have a sword?"

Emma rested her hand on Henry's arm, leaning down so she was at his level. She clutched the storybook to her side. "It's all gonna make sense in a minute. I promise."

"What are you talking about?"

Emma looked at him apologetically. "I'm sorry I was keeping things from you. You were right. You deserve to know the truth."

Emma held the book out to him.

"About fairy tales?" Henry asked in disbelief. "I don't understand."

Emma's voice was quiet. "Do you trust me?"

Henry held her gaze. "Yes, of course I do."

"Then I need you to believe," Emma told in a whisper.

Henry looked at her, confused. "Believe in what?"

"Believe in magic."

He looked at the book, shaking his head, then looked back at Emma. "From a book?"

"It's more than just a book," Emma responded. "Do you believe in me?"

Henry studied her a moment before answering, his voice a whisper. "Yes."

"Then take it."

Everyone watched as Henry hesitated, then took the book from Emma. A sudden rush of memories assulted Henry. After a moment, his eyes refocused on Emma. "Mom?"

Emma gave him a sad smile. She didn't want Henry to remember their lives before still, but now there was no going back.

Henry looked back at the group behind Emma, spying Regina. "Mom!"

They smiled at each other, moving to hug one another. Regina held him to her for a moment before they broke apart.

"I remember," he told her happily. He turned back to Emma. "I remember!"

David and Mary Margaret watched on, happy things were being set right. Killian looked, wondering what Emma was going to do. She couldn't just run with Henry anymore. He hoped that she would change her mind, decide to stay.

Regina put her hands on Henry's arms, looking at Emma. "Do it, Emma. Break the curse."

Emma leaned towards Henry, but before she could kiss his forhead, he vanished with a green flash.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt," Zelena said, holding on to Henry near the entrance where Killian and Henry had entered. "Now, who wants to say goodbye first?"

Henry stugged to break free. "Who are you?"

Zelena looked down at him. "You can call me Auntie Zelena."

"Enough of this," Regina's voice was sharp as she moved forward. She brought her hands up, ready to strike, but Zelena was faster. She sent out a force that pushed her back, knocling her out as she hit the floor.

"Let him go," Emma said, trying to keep the panic out of her voice. "He had nothing to do with this."

"Don't blame me," Zelena told her. "The captain failed me."

Killian gave her a dark look. "Damn you, Zelena."

Emma knew immediately what this was all about, but Zelena continued anyway. "He knew what the price of that failure was- your son's life."

Zelena began to choke Henry. He gasped, trying to get air into his lungs. "Mom!"

Emma and Killian tried to think of what to do to separate them. Killian didnt think he had ever felt so helpless. Emma quickly closed her eyes, focusing. Light encompassed Henry and Zelena, when suddenly Zelena screamed, smoke coming from where her hands touched Henry. She finally released Henry.

"Run!" Emma sreamed to Henry, who darted into her arms.

Killian looked at Zelena, amazed at what he had just witnessed.

"No!" Zelena screeched as Emma glared at her. "Enjoy this moment together, 'cause you don't have many left!"

She turned, vanishing in a puff of green smoke.

Emma clutched Henry to her, much like David always did to her, before drawing away to look at him. "Henry. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he responded. He darted to Regina's unconscious form, trying to shake her awake. "Mom! Mom! Mom!"

Henry continued to shake her. "Mom, please, wake up! Mom!"

Regina opened her eyes, groaning softly. She looked up and saw Henry above her.

"Mom," Henry said, relieved.

"Henry," Regina breathed out as she got up. She embraced him. "Henry. Oh, Henry."

She pulled back, putting her hands on his face as the rest watched them. "I will never let you go away again. I promise. I love you, Henry."

As Regina kissed Henry's head, a pulse of light with a faint rainbow hue spread out from them.

As Emma and Killian regained their footing, Regina gasped while Mary Margaret drew David to her, both of them holding each other tightly in their arms.

Killian looked at Emma when she spoke, her eyes on Regina. "It wasn't me. It was _you_." She turned to her parents. "Mary Margaret, David, did it work? Do you remember the missing year?"

Both of them looked stunned. "Yes," Mary Margaret answered her. "Everything."

"How did Zelena cast the curse?" Emma asked.

Mary Margaret shook her head at her. "She didn't, Emma. We did."

Emma looked at them, taking in what her mother had just said. "You cursed yourselves?"

"Zelena's weakness is light magic," Mary Margaret told her. " I mean, it's clear now, more than ever, you are the only one who can defeat her."

"That's why we paid the price of Regina's curse- to find you," David added.

Emma took a second to think about what they just said. "The price of the curse is the heart of the thing you love most. If one of you cast it... How are you both still here?"

They both smiled weakly at Emma. Mary Margaret answered her. "I gave him half of my heart."

Emma looked between her two parents.

"Why don't we talk about this later," David said.

Emma nodded weakly.

Regina and Henry took off, intending to catch up after their year apart. David and Mary Margaret went off a little distance away to talk, leaving Emma and Killian alone.

Emma turned to Killian, looking him over. Her voice was filled with concern. "Killian, are you okay?"

Killian nodded. "I'm fine, Swan. You don't need to worry about me."

Emma looked at him curiously. "What were you doing with Henry here anyway?"

Killian looked nervous. He scratched behind his ear as he answered her. "This morning, the Crocodile knocked me out and brought me to Zelena." He ignored Emma's shocked expression. "She inquired as to why I hadn't kissed you yet, and told me she was coming after Henry. I was trying to get him out of Storybrooke so she couldn't reach him, then her monkeys attacked."

Emma nodded weakly. She completely understood why he tried to do what he did. She gripped his hand, applying slight pressure. He tentatively squeezed her hand back, not wanting to scare her off, relieved she seemed to be done trying to pushing him away, if even for a moment. A feeling of warmth spread through him just from the slight contact. "Thank you, Killian. For protecting him."

She held on to him a moment longer before releasing him. Her hand instantly felt cold as soon as she separated from him. When she looked at his face, she tried to ignore the soft look he was giving her.

"Emma, I promised you I would do everything I can to protect Henry," he told her.

"I know," Emma replied to him. "I trust you."

"No, we can't trust you," David's voice cut in. Emma pulled away from Killian to face her parents.

"You said you brought Emma to Storybrooke because you received a message from us with a memory potion," Mary Margaret told Killian accusingly.

Killian looked at them, not having the faintest idea what they were talking about. "Aye, what of it?"

"We didn't send you any message," David's tone was harsh.

"Well, I got one!" Killian said defensively. "It's the truth! Somebody bloody well sent me the message! Who else would have an antidote? Who else would know where to find the Savior?"

Emma looked at her parents. "What if... what if it was Neal or even Gold. He was with Zelena, he would have know."

Everyone turned to look at her, seeing that it fit in with the situation. David nodded, willing to accept Emma's theory. Emma hovered close to Killian as they all left the boathouse.

* * *

David and Mary Margaret stood a short distance away as Emma took Henry to Neal's grave. Henry layed a single rose on the headstone before turning back to Emma.

He put his hands in his coat pockets, looking intently at his mother. "Was it hard? Coming back to Storybrooke when you knew it would be dangerous?"

Emma stood, contemplating what to tell his as he continued. "I mean, life in New York was pretty good."

Emma smiled at him. "It was better than good. But I had this voice stuck in my head that I couldn't shake."

"Whose?" Henry asked.

Emma layed her hand on his arm. "Yours. I knew how you would have voted on this."

"Yeah," Henry nodded, grinning. "And you know what this means."

"Hmm?"

"Operation Cobra is back on," Henry said, excited.

Emma smiled back at him. "I'm not sure it ever ended."

Behind them, Mary Margaret let out a yelp.

David immediately turned to grab her. "Hey."

Emma and Henry rushed to them. She called out to her mother. "Mary Margaret!"

David tried to calm her. "Deep breaths. Take deep breaths. I'll get the truck."

As soon as David ran off, Emma took his place. "Mary Margaret, are you okay?"

"It's the baby," she responded. "It's coming."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my delusions.

Mary Margaret screamed in pain as they approached the hospital, David driving as fast as he could. He pulled up and jumped out, rushing to Mary Margaret's side.

"Hey, I'm over here!" He called to the nurses.

"I'm okay," Mary Margaret gasped as David helped her out of the truck as Emma and Henry rushed by them.

David helped his wife into a wheelchair as she screamed again. "All right, breathe."

A nurse pushed her into the hospital, maneuvering through the halls, David, Emma, and Henry close behind.

Whale met them in the hall. He leaned down to look at Mary Margaret. "How are you feeling?"

He looked up to a nearby nurse. "Nurse?"

"Yes, Doctor?" she asked.

"A little help here," he responded. The nurse pushed open a door, allowing them into a room.

Emma held Henry back as they helped Mary Margaret stand to move her to the bed as she grunted in pain. She gripped David's hand as she layed on the bed and Emma stood just outside the room, facing the hallway, casting a protection spell.

"You really think this protection spell will be enough to hold her off?" Emma asked Regina, who was casting another protection spell at the other end of the hallway.

Regina turned to walk toward her. "It depends if your brand of magic is stronger than hers. If it is, no one welding dark magic will be able to get in here."

Emma looked at her, her voice critical. "That doesn't sound like a vote of confidence."

"It isn't," Regina admitted. "But we're out of options.

"Swan," Killian called from behind Emma, causing her to turn as Regina entered the room with David and Mary Margaret. He gestured to the room. "I heard the little royal was on his way."

Emma nodded. "He is."

"I want to help," he told her quietly.

"No, Zelena put a mark on you," she protested. "Besides, this ends today."

She turned away, heading toward the room, Killian slowly following her. David came out.

"Emma, wait," he said, stopping her as he closed the door. "You don't have to do this alone."

"Yeah, I do," she told him. "You need to stay with Mary Margaret."

David nodded. "Yeah, I know. But you need help." He stopped for a second. "Take Hook."

She looked at him incredulously. "Are you insane?"

David held out his hand, trying to calm her. "He's going with you."

He then looked behind him at the pirate, his voice louder as he addressed him. "You're going with her."

Killian walked closer to them. "Mm. I thought you didn't trust me, mate."

David sighed, turning back to him. "Zelena backed you into a corner. You did the best you could."

Emma looked at her father critically, wondering about his change in attitude.

Killian gestured to David as he spoke to Emma. "See? Even your father gets it."

Emma released a breath. "Hey. I'm sorry. I'm doing this alone."

"No, you're not," David told her firmly. "This isn't about you. It's about all of us."

Emma was afraid for Killian to come with her, she knew Zelena would try to use him against her again. She knew it was a low blow, but she had to try to stop him from coming. "What is he gonna do? I have magic. He's got one hand."

Killian's voice was quiet, stung by her words. Emma's guilt spiked. "You know I'm good in a fight."

"At the very least, he can draw fire," David offered.

Killian looked at David, offended. He gave a sarcastic grin. "What, now I'm cannon fodder?"

Emma looked at David, knowing he would just argue further. "Fine," she said begrudgingly. "He can come."

Satisfied, David returned back to Mary Margaret's room.

Killian looked at her, reading her. "Fair enough." He gestured to the end of the hall. "Shall we?"

"Hang on," Emma told him, seeing Henry with Leroy. "Give me a sec."

She approached them, calling attention from Henry. "Hey, kid."

Henry grinned. "Hey, Mom. Is the baby here?"

"Not yet, but it will be soon," she said as she rested her hands on his arms. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. I have to take care of this witch, but it's gonna be all right, and I'll be back before you know it."

Henry looked up at her, confidence in his eyes. "I know. I'm not worried."

"Yeah?" she asked.

Henry smiled. "Defeating bad guys is what you do."

Emma smiled sadly at him before hugging him to her. Regina came up to them, smiling at Emma. "Go. I'll keep him safe."

Emma withdrew from Henry, keeping her hands on his face. "Thank you."

Killian stood back, watching the whole exchange. "You ready, Swan?"

Emma turned away from her son to Killian. "Yeah. Let's end this.

* * *

"I never should have brought Henry back to Storybrooke," Emma said as she and Killian walked towards Zelena's farmhouse.

"You did what you thought was right," Killian replied.

"I did what you manipulated me into," she retorted, trying to push him away yet again.

Killian tried to calm her. "Your parents needed you, Swan. The town needed you."

"Henry also needed me," she countered. "We were happy in New York. Once I'm done melting this witch, I'd like us to be happy again."

Killian held a critical look as he spoke. "As content as you were in that city, it wasn't real."

Emma finally looked at him. "It was real for me, for him. Everything that happened happened."

"Minus all the things you'd forgotten," Killian pointed out. "Part of you is not the real you, and like it or not, a big part of you and Henry belongs in this town."

She didn't look at him. "Yeah, the part of us that's always in danger. We should leave."

Killian's voice was low. "What does the boy think?"

Emma stole a glance at him before trying to deflect, knowing he would see right through her. "He's a kid. He wants chocolate milk in his cereal. I'm his mother. I know what's best for him."

Killian released a breath, stopping to turn and look at her directly. "What's best for him... or for you?"

Emma looked at him, indignantly before continuing forward. She knew he'd call her bluff. "Excuse me?"

Killian followed her. "You've taken care of the boy quite well here. You talk about danger all you like, but it isn't that." He stopped again, facing her, his voice soft. "So, tell me, what is it? Why are you so scared of staying?"

Emma stopped beside him, casting a quick glance at him before looking away.

Killian pressed on, his voice still soft. "I think it's because you can see a future here, a happy one."

Emma finally looked at him. "Let me guess- with you?"

What scared Emma was she could see herself having a happy life with him. She could see herself fighting villains with him by her side. She could see herself waking up beside him every morning, and falling asleep with him at night. What scared her even more was the fact that she wasn't afraid to have that life with him, and she wanted it.

Before Killian could respond, Zelena's voice rang out, causing them to quickly turn. "Aww. You two are so adorable. But instead of looking for each other, maybe you should be focused on me. Although, without magic, that could prove to be a challenge."

Emma shook her head, banishing all thoughts of the lif she had pictured with Killian from her head to focus on Zelena and Gold. "The next time you try to take my power, why don't you try enchanting the lips of someone I'll actually kiss?"

Emma didn't see the hurt expression on Killian's features.

Zelena studied them. "See, Emma, you've got a decision to make. You can keep your magic, which makes you oh so sad, or you can keep the man that you can't wait to run away from."

She turned to Gold, smiling. "Rumple."

Gold merely waved his hand, causin Killian to fly into a pool, his head submerged in the water.

"Hook!" Emma screamed, icy fear gripping her as she ran towards him.

"Choose wisely," Zelena said smugly.

Emma desperately tried pulling Killian from the water, who had begun to stop fighing as air bubbles came to the surface. Gold watched them, a small look of unease on his face as he continused to hold Killian under.

"Try all you like," Zelena told Emma, who looked back at her. "You can't free him."

With one last smile, Zelena vanished in a puff of green smoke.

Killian completely stilled under the water, and Emma was finally able to wretch him out of it. She layed him down on the ground, trying to check if he was breathing.

"Hook," she called, shaking him, trying to wake him. She noticed his lips were blue. "Hook! Hook, wake up! Killian! Killian, come back to me. Please Killian."

Emma knew what she had to do to save him. She knew she didn't have a choice, not if she wanted to save Killian. She couldn't lose him.

Panting, she plugged his nose and pressed her lips to his. A green glow spread around them before the air shimmered white, her magic leaving her.

She looked at him, willing him to wake up. She rested her hand on his face, striking his cheek. Her voice was just barely a whisper. "Killian, come back to me. Please Killian. Don't leave me. Please."

Killian coughed, turning his head as a steam of water escaped him. He gasped for air as he looked at her, his voice rough. "Swan?"

Emma wanted to cry in relief. She watched him as the color returned to his face.

Killian watched her, horrifies realization dawning on him as he touched his lips. "What did you do? What did you do?"

She touched his face again, gently stroking it with her thumb.

"I did what I had to," Emma told him softly.

* * *

Emma and Killian rushed into the hospital, only to see David holding his sword, talking to Regina and Henry, ready to fight.

Emma walked over to her father. "What's going on here?"

David looked at her, worried. "What happened? Did you find Zelena?"

Emma looked away. "I- I did, but I couldn't stop her."

David looked at her. "She took your brother."

"Because I failed?" Emma asked in a small voice.

Killian immediately cut in, seeking to comfort her. "We're all still here, so you haven't failed just yet."

David quickly glanced at him before turning back to Emma. "Hook's right. Come on."

Emma stopped him as he began to pull her with him. "No, wait."

Killian's guilt built up, knowing what Emma was about to confess.

Emma's voice was hopeless. "Zelena took my magic."

"How the hell did that happen?!" Regina exclaimed as David looked at her stupefied.

Emma didn't meet their eyes. "It doesn't matter how. It just happened. So, we need to find another way to stop her."

"There is no other way," Regina told her.

Emma briefly glanced at her before looked ingredients away from her accusing glare, while Killian stood behind her, blaming himself.

Henry turned to Regina. "That's not true. You can do it."

Regina looked at her son, her expression softer. "Sweetheart, I don't think I can survive round three with my sister."

"Glinda was pretty specific," David mused. "Only the purveyor of the strongest light magic can defeat her."

He turned to look at Emma, hopeless.

Henry turned back to Regina. "Zelena only beat you because you were using dark magic against her."

"But... it's all I have," Regina told him.

Inspiration struck Emma. "No. It's not. When you kissed Henry, that was True Love's kiss. That's light magic."

Everyone turned to Regina, accepting Emma's words. Henry grinned at her. "See? You can do it."

"Henry, I don't even have my heart right now," Regina argued.

"That doesn't matter," Henry responded. "You broke the curse without it, and I know you still love me. I know there's good in you."

Robin came up behind Regina, startling her. "He's right. I know you can beat that witch."

She looked around at them. "But I don't-"

"You have to," Emma told her.

"Once upon a time, you were a villian, Mom," Henry said. "But you've changed. You're a hero now. And defeating bad guys is what heros do. I believe in you. Now you need to believe, too."

Regina looked away, accepting what she had to do.

* * *

Emma, Killian, David, Regina, and Robin walked into the barn just as Zelena enacted the spell, weapons drawn.

"It isn't over yet," David said to Zelena as she turned to look at them.

"And who's gonna stop me?" she asked. "Certainly not the Savior."

Emma glanced at David, who was looking at his newborn son. "Go," she told him, her gun trained on Zelena. "Get him. We got your back."

"And I've got your heart," Robin told Regina.

Regina looked at her sister as she moved forward. "Zelena, stop now. We're not gonna let you succeed.

Zelena chuckled, looking at Gold, waving the dagger. "Rid me of those pests."

Gold waved his hand, knocking David and Robin into the wall of the barn.

Emma and Killian drew closer to Gold, their weapons pointed at him.

"Please no more water," Killian said as Emma gave him an exasperated look.

Gold glanced between the two of them. His voice was a growl. "Get the dagger. Then the Dark One will be on your side."

He waved his hand, causing Emma's gun to fly from her hands as Killian kept his cutlass trained on him.

"It's easier said than done," Emma told Gold.

"Do as I say," he responded, "or I will destroy you both. I have no choice!"

He pushed forward, causing both Emma and Killian to fly back hitting the bales of hay stacked against a wall, stunning them both. Emma regained her senses, looking to see Zelena raising Regina up, choking her. She quickly grabbed Killian's cutlass, standing in front of him to protect him.

Magic pulsated from Regina's hands, white instead of purple, and pushed Zelena back, freeing herself and the Dark One dagger. Regina then moved forward, ripping the green jewel from Zelena's throat. Green light glowed around Zelena as her magic dissipated and the time travel spell broke.

One of Zelena's monkeys jumped down, but as Emma and David prepared to fight it, it transformed, revealing Little John.

David moved around him, quickly picking up his newborn son, cradling him in his arms.

Emma looked at them, worried. "David, the baby. Is he okay?"

David looked into his son's face for a moment before answering, his voice weak with relief. "Yeah. He can handle anything. Just like his big sister."

They quickly moved to the doorway of the barn, Emma staying close to Killian as they walked. They turned back, seeing Regina standing before Zelena.

Regina chuckled. "You're not going anywhere."

"I beg to differ," Gold said. He pulled Zelena toward him, dragging her across the barn floor. "I'm gonna make you pay for everything you've done to me."

Emma gently rested her hand of her baby brother's head, ready to protect him.

"What are you waiting for?" Zelena gasped. "Just do it!"

"With pleasure," Gold said with malice.

"No!" Regina yelled, brandishing g the dagge. "Enough. This ends now."

Gold looked at her in disbelief. "After everything this witch had done... you're gonna protect her?"

"Good magic stopped her," Regina responded. "And good magic doesn't exact vengeance."

"She killed my son!" Gold yelled.

"How many lives have we taken trying to get what we want?" she asked.

Gold's tune was incredulous. "You can't be serious."

"I am," Regina said simply. "Heros don't kill."

"So now you're a hero?" Zelena asked as she looked up at her.

Regina contemplated for a moment. "Today, I am."

* * *

Emma watched as David handed her baby brother over to Mary Margaret, tears leaking down the mother's face. She smiled before turning, seeing Killian approaching her.

"I'd thought I've never see one of those," Killian told her, gesturing with his hook.

"It's called a baby," Emma replied, smiling at him as she moved towards him.

Killian's expression was soft. "No, Swan. A smile."

"We won," she told him.

He looked at her for a moment before responding. "In all the chaos, I never got a change to say thank you."

Emma gave him a surprised look, her smile slipping. "You really think I'd let you drown?"

His eyes were playful as he gave her a soft smile. "Given our history, can you blame me for being uncertain?"

Emma smiled at him, a soft laugh escaping her.

Killian looked down, gesturing to her. "Has your power returned now that Zelena's been defeated?"

"No," Emma told him.

"I'm sorry, love," he responded sincerely.

"It's okay," she replied, looking down.

She turned away, his eyes following her as she turned to Henry.

"Hey, kid," she called her son. "You want to meet your new uncle?"

Grinning, Henry jogged into the room where Mary Margaret and David were. Emma followed close behind, giving Killian one last smile.

Killian stepped closer to the room. Looking at the family, he gave a weak smile, hoping Emma had finally changed her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know this is super late, and honestly, I don't have a good excuse for as to why. I could say that fall classes have started again or whatnot, but honestly, Emma and Killian have demanding me work on another fic I've been working on. So I've been working on that. Anyway, sorry that this is so late, and I hope you all enjoy the chapter.  
> I own nothing except my delusions.

"Whatever's going on in there, it can't be good," Killian said as he and Emma approached the barn, botherwise having seen the amber beam of light in the distance.

"It's Zelena's time portal. David left a message," Emma told him. "Somehow, she died and triggered it.

She ran towards the doors, eager to try to stop the spell. Killian grabbed her arm, trying to pull her back to him. "Wait! We have to get out of here."

"Not until we find a way to close it!" she said as she turned back to look at him.

He looked at her intently. "You got your magic back?"

"No," she responded.

"Well, then, we're not bloody well messing with any of this!" he told her. "Let's go!"

The barn doors flew open, hitting them with a blast that threw them both back. They were both pulled toward the center, right where the light was emanating from. Killian quickly grabbed hold of Emma's hand as he buried his hook in the ground, trying to stop them from falling in.

"Hold on!" he screamed to her.

"I can't!" she shouted back.

His sleeve ripped, causing him to lose his grip on Emma, suckling her into the portal.

Killian sighed. "One of these days, I'm gonna stop chasing this woman."

He pulled his hook from the ground, letting the portal take him in like it did Emma.

* * *

They landed beside each other on the forest floor, both groaning as they rose up.

Emma looked around, panicing when she realized where they were. "No. No."

Killian sighed as he rose. "It appears we're back in the Enchanted Forest."

"Yeah, I got that," she replied, annoyed.

Killian looked around. "The only question is- when?"

Emma looked up, moving over to one of the trees.

"Swan?" he asked.

She looked at the wanted poster of Snow White, Killian moving beside her. Her voice was quiet. "I have a pretty good idea."

* * *

They stood on a hill in the forest, looking between the trees at Rumplestilskin's castle.

"Look ahead, Swan," Killian told Emma. "The Dark One's castle."

"A little more imposing than the pawnshop," Emma replied. "So, what do we do now? Knock on the door and introduce ourselves? 'Hey, we're from the future.'"

Killian cocked his head to the side. "Might be best if I stay back." Emma looked at him in disbelief, unable to believe he was leaving her to deal with Rumplestilskin alone. "The Dark One and I have a rather complicated past. I'd wager he'd want to kill me on sight."

Emma quickly shifted from disbelief to worry, not wanting to put Killian in harm's way.

A high voice rang out behind them. "Oh, I'll take that bet."

They spun around, both seeing Rumplestilskin behind them, giggling as he waved his hands.

Emma's jaw dropped. She had know that Gold was Rumplestilskin, and knew that he was the Dark One, but she hadn't expected his appearance. Instead of a normal human skin, he looked to be covered in scales in a gold and greenish color. Gone were his brown eyes, replaced by something that looked positively reptilian. His nails were long and dark, resembling claws. He was dressed in dark burgundy and black leather, with a scarf that resembled a centipede draped around his neck. Emma finally understook why Killian called him the Crocodile.

He continued to laugh. "I can't tell you how long I've been looking forward to this! Oops. I suppose I just did."

He twisted his hand toward Killian, who immediately began gasping for air as the invisible force began to choke him.

"Swan," he choked out as he began to grab for his neck.

Emma panicked, fear running through her as she watched Killian struggle. "Stop!"

Rumplestilskin waved his hand, causing Emma to fall to the side away from them. "I don't know who you are, dearie, but why don't you run off and let me enjoy my killing in peace?"

Emma quickly got up, looking over at Killian as she spoke to the imp. Her voice was desperate. "He's not gonna hurt you. You have to listen to me."

Rumplestilskin kept his eyes on Killian. "And why would I listen to you?"

"Because if you don't, you'll never see your son again," she replied.

He hesitated, then released Killian, letting him fall to the forest floor gasping breath. Emma rushed toward him, laying a hand on his back, trying to make sure he was alright.

"Killian, are you okay?" she asked him, her voice quiet but worried. He nodded weakly, his hand still holding onto his throat. She held him close to her. He wrapped his arm around her in response.

The imp looked at Emma sharply, pointing at her. "What do you know of my son?"

Emma kept her eyes on Killian as she helped him up. "His name is Baelfire. You're planning to enact a curse in hopes of reuniting with him."

"Who told you that?" Rumplestilskin demanded. "What are you- some kind of witch?"

"No, I'm not a witch," she replied, finally looking at him. "I'm the one who breaks the curse so that you can find him. I'm the product of True Love."

He looked at her, pondering. "But that's speculation. Part of my plans. But I have done it."

"You will, and you will succeed," Emma confirmed.

He looked like he was almost afraid to believe her. "If that's true, then that means..."

"We're from the future, mate," Killian finally spoke up.

The Dark One looked at him, his voice mocking. "But time travel hasn't been done, mate."

"Yeah, well, someone's cracked that code," Emma said. Rumplestilskin turned his head towards her. "We need _your_ help."

"Help?" he asked before giggling. "You need my help? Then answer me one question. Do I find my son?"

Both Emma and Killian were quiet, nervous about how to answer.

"Answer me!" Rumplestilskin yelled at her.

"Y- yes," she stuttered out.

The imp smiled. "Bae. I find Bae. How?"

He stopped her before she could answer. "Eh! Don't tell me. If I succeeded, I don't want anything in my head that might throw it off."

Emma looked away, nervous. "It might already kind of be thrown off."

He studied her, his expression growing angry. "You've changed things. What have you done."

She glanced up at Killian, who was looking back at her, just as nervous. He tightened his arm around her. "We interrupted my parents meeting."

Rumplestilskin's face fell.

* * *

They sat at one of the back tables of the small tavern, watching Hook playing dice with some other pirates with a tavern wench on his lap.

"There I am," Killian said, gesturing to his past self as he looked back at her. "Rather dashing, don't you think?"

"Is this even a good idea?" Emma asked nervously. "What about preserving the future?"

"It'll be fine," he reassured her. "Given what I'm drinking, if I remember anything, I'll simply blame the rum. Just make sure that I... _he_ remains occupied, doesn't return to my ship." He looked back at her. "I'll take care of the rest."

Emma sighed when he turned back to watch himself. "Okay."

She took of her cloak and began to undo the top of her corset when Killian turned back around. He held out his hand to stop her, surprised and clearly unhappy. "Wait. What are you doing?"

"Making sure he stays occupied," she replied innocently. Her voice took on a teasing tone. "Shouldn't be difficult. You and I both know I'm his type."

She stood and made to go around the table when Killian blocked her path. His voice was worried. "Swan, that man sitting there- you don't know him. Just be careful."

She looked at him, sensing his jealousy on his past self. She couldn't help the satisfaction she felt. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're jealous."

Killian gave her an uneasy look before he made to leave, but she grabbed his arm to stop him. Her voice turned soft to reassure him. "Don't worry. I'll be careful."

He nodded to her once before leaving. Emma pushed her hair behind her ears before she walked over to Hook's table, putting her hands on the table, leaning towards Hook so that her cleavage was on display to him. She gave him a flirty smile. "What are you boys playing?"

Seeing the way Hook was looking at her and the dirty looks the wenches were giving her, she knew her job would be easy.

* * *

Emma panicked as they walked along the docks to the Jolly Roger. She prayed Killian was done dealing with Snow White, but had no idea how to be sure. Vying for time, she pretended to stumble, causing Hook to catch her, throwing his rum bottle into the harbor.

"I think I should rest for a moment," she said, feigning dizziness.

"Oh, no need, no. No need," Hook said drunkenly as he reached his arms under her, lifting her up. "I've carried rum barrels heavier than you."

A sense of wrongness filled her. Though his arms felt familiar, they didn't hold the same safety and warmth she was so accustomed too _._ She wanted to get back to Killian, missing him. Hook wasn't _her Killian._

Emma forced a laugh, before she saw Snow White walking past them with her head down. "Actually, I feel much better."

Hook walked them to the gangplank, grinning proudly. "Behold! The Rolly Joger!"

Emma knew he was completely wasted.

Smee approached them, looking at Hook confused. "Captain. H-how did you... I- I thought you were still below deck. And why does your vest keep changing?"

Emma spun around back to Hook, trying to distract him. "I... seem to remember a nightcap was promised. Find one, and I'll be waiting."

She pulled away as he chased her lips, desperate to get to Killian.

She climbed down the latter to the captain's quarter, immediately face to face with Killian when she turned.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"I could ask the same of you," he responded. "I thought I told you to keep him occupied."

She looked at him, panicked that Hook was about to come down while Killian was in the cabin with her. "I am."

His voice was filled with disbelief. "By taking him back to my ship?"

" _His_ ship," she corrected.

"You know what I mean," he said, bowing his head.

"I stalled as long as I could," she told him. "I thought you'd be gone by now. I'll try to keep him above deck so you can get out of here."

As soon as she spoke, the hatch opened, Hook coming down. Killian ducked down to hide behind the desk, moving to get around Hook.

"Hey," Emma said whem he came up to her.

"Where may you be going?" Hook asked her flirtatiously. "I do hope you're not having second thoughts."

Killian looked at his past self and immediately changed course.

"No, I just got tired of waiting," Emma told Hook, pulling him forward to kiss him. It felt wrong, like when he had held her. It wasn't _her_ _Killian._ She remembered their kiss in Neverland, how whatever had been going on between them before had ignited, how there was no return. Emma felt none of that as she kissed Hook. It was like kissing a stranger.

She opened her eyes as she kissed him, seeing Killian coming close to them. She stumbled back, breaking the kiss to lead Hook further away.

"My apologies," he said with a chuckle. "A woman as beautiful as you deserves my full and prompt attention."

She didn't see Killian move behind Hook and standing to his full height until Hook went to kiss her again.

Killian placed his hook on Hook's shoulder, drawing his attention away from Emma. As soon as Hook looked at him, Killian decked him in the face, knocking him out cold.

Killian sighed, shaking his hand in slight pain, checking to see if his wounds had reopened. A couple of the cuts bled slightly.

Emma looked at him, disbelief filling her tone. "Are you kidding me?! How is _that_ not gonna have consequences?"

"He was asking for it," Killian said, not looking at her. "And, like I said, he'll blame the rum. Now let's get out of here."

He gestured for her to go first up the steep staircase, while Emma just gaped at him. Releasing a breath, she climbed up, Killian close behind.

They easily entered back into the forest, slowing down some under the cover of the trees. Killian avoided looking at her until she finally grasped his arm, pulling him to a halt.

"Let me see your hand," she said gently.

Releasing a breath, Killian held out his hand to her, finally looking at her.

Emma studied the cuts, seeing the slight amount of blood. Releasing him, she leaned down, reaching for some of the linen of her underskirts and tearing off a strip of the fabric. Tearing a piece of of that, she wiped the blood away before wraping his hand. She tried to make her movements comforting, trying to convey she was sorry for teasing him, and everything else with Hook. After a moment, she felt him relax. She peeked up at him, seeing him watching her.

"I'm sorry," she said, deciding to voice her apology.

He sighed. "It's okay, Swan. You did what you had to do."

She gave him a weak smile as she tied of the makeshift bandage before they continued their walk.

Emma asked him how much longer they had when Killian responded that soon they would reach Midas's castle, stopping so they could wait for Rumplestilskin to appear. They sat close together on a ledge, their thighs touching, as they waited.

Emma shivered as the cold seeping into the forest surrounded them. Killian drew her to his side, wraping his arm around her, trying to get her warmer. She gave him an appreciative smile as he pulled out his spyglass, looking out over to the castle, noticing the fireworks above it.

"A predictable excess of pomp and grandeur," he said, pulling the spyglass away. "Snow should have no trouble sneaking inside."

"What about us?" She asked. "We're supposed to hope that she pulls it off? I don't like leaving things to chance."

They both jumped, Killian's arm around her falling when they stood when Rumplestilskin's high voice pierced the air. "You know, I feel exactly the same way, which is why I never do. See?" He held out his hand, conjuring a piece of paper. "An invitation to the ball."

"So you'll be inside to watch for her," Emma said.

"No, no," the imp responded. "I'll be fat too busy sorting out how to get you home."

"Well, who's the invitation for?" Killian asked.

Rumplestilskin gave him a dirty look. "Well, isn't it obvious? The two of you."

Emma and Killian gave each other nervous looks.

"So, when we're done inside, you can open our portal?" he asked, frustrated with Rumplestilskin.

"There's a powerful wand, which, uh... I came to possess," the Dark One told them. "Anyway, legend says it can re-create any magic that's ever been wielded. Now with a little work, I can use it to re-create whatever portal brought you here."

"Please do it quickly," Emma said as Killian snatched the invitation from him. "We'll be in and out before you known it. I want to get the hell out of here."

He waved his fingers. "Oh, confidence. I like it."

She and Killian turned away, but he stopped them. "Wait!"

They stopped, turning to look back at them. "Not like that."

He laughed as he enveloped them in his red smoke, revealing new cloths when it cleared. "The Savior can't come this far and not play princess for a day."

Emma looked at the crimson gown she wore. She had to admit it was beautiful, with its full skirt and long silk sleeves. She knew her hair was up, feeling the weight of if atop her head. She looked over at Kiliian, feeling her breath become short when she saw him in his princely attire of a white shirt, black vest and pants, and tan coat. She noticed with a pang that his hook was gone, replaced by the fake hand he'd worn in New York. But she couldn't deny how attractive he looked. She saw him look at her, a mesmerized look in his eyes. She forced the blush from her cheeks.

She looked back at the imp. "But I'm not supposed to stick out. What if someone remembers me in the future?"

"Because what you had before was such an intricate disguise," Rumplestilskin responded condescendingly. He continued on, Emma glaring at him. "Now, speaking of which, I've returned those stolen rags luckily, before they were missed. I mean, it's a miracle the timeline hasn't imploded already." He pointed to the two of them. "Amateurs. Allow me."

He conjured a mirror, revealing a dark haired man and a blonde woman they didn't recognize looking back at them, Emma leaned forward, looking at the couple. She looked at Killian, who was looking back at her, both relieved they still could see each other for who they really were. "A glamour is how you shall appear to one and all. Now run along and- and do everything you can to make sure Snow White gets that ring. Once they are back on track, everything else will be, too."

* * *

"Just when I thought the cloths here couldn't get any worse," Emma muttered as Killian dropped their invitation to one of the attendents at the ball.

He looked at her as she wrapped her arm back through his. "You might not be able to move, Swan, but you cut quite the figure in that dress."

Emma smiled at the flattery. After being stopped for a moment by King Midas, they continued to walk through the crowds of people.

Emma looked at the people, bored. She turned to Killian. "Mary Margaret and David are always going on about this ball and that ball. What's the big deal about these things?"

She saw him grin, looking forward. She turned and saw the dancers, awestruck, elegantly twirling around each other on the floor. She didn't see the fond smile Killian gave her.

His tone was amused. "You were saying?"

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked him.

He smiled at her, grappling her hand to lead her to the floor. "Blend in."

"Wait," she said curiously. "Are you saying you know how to do whatever this is?"

He stopped at the edge, setting them into position. "It's called a waltz."

He leaned close as he placed his hand on the small of her back. Even through the fabric of her dress and his gloves, she could feel the warmth of his touch on her skin. She looked up, meeting his eyes, his face only inches away from hers. It would be so easy to cross the small distance, to press her lips to his. "There's only one rule- pick a partner who knowns what he's doing."

He began to move, and Emma found that with him, it was easy. It felt natural. She couldnt help enjoying dancing with him, her red dress standing out from all of the pastel gowns around them. They smiled at each other, and Emma couldn't help thinking about how right it all felt, being held by him, dancing with him. She knew she was already in too deep with him, but she found that she no longer cared, just wanting to have that moment with him. Her first royal dance at her first royal ball, and it was with him. She couldn't bring herself to regret it.

They continused to dance, only stopping when the Evil Queen came bursting through the doors.

"Regina's here," she whispered to Killian whem they say her. "Damn it. That definately was not in the plan."

"Breathe, Swan," he told her gently. "She's a guest. The king's head would vanish to another realm if he didn't invite her."

"Yeah, good point," she responded.

Nevertheless, they drew each other closer, just in case.

She looked around, noticing that Charming was missing. "Where's Charming?"

Before she could do anything, one of the gaurds told Midas Snow was there. Emma looked at Killian before they both hurried out towards one of the walk, just in time to see Snow jumping over the edge.

Emma sighed in relief. "She did it. She must have stolen the ring."

They turned, hearing Charming yelling he would find Snow White.

Emma grinned, ecstatic they had succeeded. She looked at Killian excitedly. "Mission accomplished. Now all we have to do-"

She was cut off, roughly shoved aside by one of the Evil Queen's Black Knights, who took aim to fire an arrow at Snow. Killian caught her, helping her steady herself. Emma looked, seeing that Snow had just barely climbed into her horse. Knowing her mother would be killed if she didn't act, Emma charged the knight, causing the arrow to miss. When she landed, she saw the ring.

Horrified, she held it up for Killian to see. "The ring."

His voice was determined as he unsheathed his sword. "We've got to get it to Snow. Go. I've got this."

Quickly scrambling to her feet, Emma came up to him, and without thinking, quickly brushed her lips against his. She looked into his blue eyes. "Just come back to me."

He nodded. "I will."

With a final glance, Emma fled after Snow, just as the knights decended.

* * *

Killian prepared himself as the two knights approached. He'd fought more opponents at once before, so this was nothing to him, despite their training. He was able to quickly dispatch them before two of Midas's guards decended on him. He was easily ably to take them out before turning to run after Emma.

He ran back into the ball room, stopping in his tracks just to see Emma surrounded by Black Knights with the Evil Queen right in front of her.

He silently cursed to himself as they dragged Emma away. He watched, feeling his heart breaking as they left, swearing to himself he would get his Swan back.

"I will find you, Swan," he whispered to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review?


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my delusions.

Emma stumbled as the Black Knight threw her into the dingy cell, landing in the rocky earth.

A woman's voice came from the cell next to her. "Are you all right?"

Emma looked over, seeing the figure of the woman, her features shrouded in darkness.

Emma brushed off her hands, looking up. "Yeah, I think so. Thanks. I'm... Leia."

"I wish I could say it was nice to meet you..." the woman said.

Emma chuckled. "Yeah, but under the circumstances, I get it. What's your name?"

The woman looked towards the hall of the dungeon, her voice a whisper. "I dare not speak it here. The Queen doesn't know who I am, and my silence is the only thing keeping my family safe."

"She's pretty ruthless, huh?" Emma responded. She withdrew some bread, offering it to her. "Here. You hungry? I swiped it off a food tray on my way down."

The dark haired woman stood, tentatively coming to take the bread, looking at Emma with a grateful expression. Emma was shocked when she finally saw the woman's face.

The woman backed away, alarmed. "What? What is it?"

"I saw you in the village with the queen," Emma said. "I wanted to help, but..."

"It's all right," the woman replied. "If you had tried to free me, you would have just ended up here a day sooner."

"What did she put you in here for?" Emma asked her.

"I knew where Snow White was hiding, but I refused to tell the Queen," she told her.

"You gave up your freedom to ensure Snow White's?" Emma asked.

"Yes," she responded passionately. "I believe her to be innocent."

Emma looked at her, worried. "How long are you in for?"

"Same as you," she replied. "Just one more night."

"Really?" Emma asked, confused. "One night. W-why? Is Regina going soft?"

The woman looked at her darkly. "No. One night, because tomorrow everyone in here is to be executed."

Emma felt the breath leave her lungs.

* * *

Killian quietly apoached Snow and Charming, seeing, as Emma had once told him, Snow trapped in a net. He hid behind a tree.

"I don't have your ring," he heard Snow say in an annoyed voice.

"And why don't I believe you?" Charming asked her.

"You should," Killian told him, coming out from his hiding spot to come closer to them. "She's telling the truth, mate."

He gave an amused smile at the shock on Emma's parents' faces. He gave a flourish of his hand. "Prince Charles. Lovely ball the other night. The mutton was a tad overcooked, but that happens."

He took amusement in the confused looked Snow and Charming passed each other. He gestured up to Snow as he stood in front of Charming. "Snow White doesn't have your ring. But I can tell you who does. My princess." He fought down the joy uttering those words brought. He had to remind himself that Emma wasn't his. "And I need your help to get it back."

Charming looked at him sharply. "She has my ring?"

Killian didn't say anything, merely nodded.

"That's two women who robbed me," Charming sighed. "Where is she?"

Killian knew David well enough to know that Charming wouldn't like what he was about to say. "Well, that's the problem. The Queen's castle."

"Actually, that's not a problem at all," Snow White spoke up. Both men looked up at her. "I know it well. It used to be mine. I can get us in there but not from up here. So you let me down and you get your princess," she indicated to Killian, "you get your ring," she said to Charming, " and I never have to see your charming face again."

Killian peeked at Charming out of the corner of his eyes.

Charming pulled his sword, causing Killian to flinch back, and used it to sever the rope that anchored the trap Snow White was held in. With a loud thud, the net and Snow fell to the forest floor.

Killian definately saw where Emma got her tact.

* * *

Sitting in the driver's seat of the cart, Killian ran over a large rock, causing the carriage to jerk, jostling Snow, who her out a grunt.

He turned to look back. "Apologies, lass.."

He heard Charming laugh behind him. He couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation, about how Snow truely believed she was responsible for ruining Regina's life.

He pulled the carriage to a stop. "We're here."

He looked between the copse of trees, seeing the Evil Queen's castle. It stood intimidating, it's sharp quil-like spires reaching up towards the sky.

"We're going to need help to get past her guards," Snow White said. She began to climb out of the cart.. "Wait here. We go at night. I'll be back with help."

She ran off, her green cloak blending in with the surrounding foliage.

"I guess we make camp then," Charming said as he climbed out of the cart.

Killian jumped from his seat. "Aye."

Together, they set up a small camp to wait for Snow and whatever help she was getting to return. Killian couldn't help thinking of their time spent in Neverland. At least Charming wasn't giving him dark looks this time.

Soon enough, night decended, the full moon illuminating the forest in its glow.

Killian poked the fire they had set up in the small glen as he and Charming waited.

"You excited for your nuptials?" Killian asked him.

"I'm marrying Midas' daughter," Charming responded. "What's not to be excited about?"

Killian read right through him. "I don't mean to pry, mate, but you don't exactly look like a man who's doing this by choice."

Charming's tone was thoughtful. "I always thought I'd marry for love. And here I am about to enter into what amounts to a... business transaction. A merger of two kingdoms." He inhaled deeply. "I don't know. This whole ordeal makes me wonder if there's even a such thing as True Love.

Killian mover his hand from under his chin to gesture to Charming. Charming had no idea who Killian was, so he knew he could speak freely to the prince. "I once felt as you did, mate, and all it took was meeting the right person and everything changed."

"Princess Leia?" Charming asked. "The one we're rescuing?"

"Aye," Killian responded honestly. "I'd go to the end of the world for her... or time."

Charming looked as if he were happy for him, happy that Killian had found someone he loved so dearly. "And she for you, I take it?"

Killian chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't know."

"What's the problem?" Charming asked, stretching his legs out as he croseed his arms.

"There are many complications," Killian replied, wondering how much he could say.

"Family?" Charming guessed. "Because my father is making things quite difficult for me."

 _Oh, the irony_ , Killian thought. "Aye. There's that." He hesitated, deciding. "I'm not so sure her parents approve of me."

"Given the lengths you've gone to save her?" Charming asked thoughtfully. "They'd be crazy not to."

Killian couldn't help grinning. "I hope you remember that."

"You said there were other complications?" Charming prodded.

Killian swallowed, unsure. "Aye. I know she feels something, but she wants to run. She's afraid, and I don't want to lose her."

Charming looked at him sympathetically. "And she knows how you feel?"

Killian nodded slightly. "Aye."

"Fear is a powerful thing," Charming said. "But I think once Leia sees what you're doing for her..."

Killian gave a weak smile. "I hope you're right, mate."

Killian saw a shadow behind the trees, drawing both his and Charming's attention.

"What the hell was that?" Charming asked as he rose, drawing his sword.

Killian withdrew his own. "I think we're about to find out.

They both pointed their swords, seeing a woman in a red damask cloak coming toward them. Though her hood was up, Killian recognized the woman as one of the people of Storybrooke.

He lowered his sword, but Charming kept his raised.

"Who the hell are you?" Charming asked warily.

"Name's Red," she responded as she lowered her basket. "I'm a friend of Snow's. She sent me to help get you into the castle."

"How?" Killian asked her.

Red lowered her hood and began to shrug off her cloak. "You'll see."

Letting the cloak fall, Red's eyes flashed yellow as her body twisted, changing into a canine form. Dark fur sprouted along her. Before they knew it, a large wolf was sitting in front of them.

"Bloody hell," Killian muttered. He didn't know who exactly Ruby was in the Enchanted Forest, and wouldn't have guessed that the woman could transform into a wolf. He looked from her to Charming. "I think they're going to be in for a nice surprise at the castle."

Charming chuckled as Red let out a wolfy grin, baring her sharp fangs.

They left, putting out the fire and grabbing Red's cloak.

Quickly making their way into the castle under cover of darkness, they made quick work of any guards, Red taking the lead. The guards did not expect her, making they east targets. Entering the dungeon, David took out the final gaurd as Killian threw the cloak over the wolf, turning her back into a woman.

"I'm glad the wolf's on our side," he said.

"Yeah, she's a fearsome one," Charming agreed as he slipped his sword back into its sheath. "Better hurry. When he wakes, they'll be on to us."

They began to move forward, Killian beginning to rush to take the lead, eager to get back to Emma.

* * *

After picking her and the woman's cell lock, Emma rushed them forward, ready to leave their prison. Emma knew Killian wouldn't be too happy she freed the woman, bUT she couldn't leave her behind to die.

In the distance, she tought she heard what sounded like a wolf growl, but thought she had just imagined it.

As she and the woman rounded the corner, she saw Killian, sword drawn, with Charming and Red close behind him. She stopped before she reached the point of Killian's sword.

"Swan?" he asked, relief evident in his voice.

She sounded just as relieved. "Killian!"

She moved around his sword, holding him to her. Careful with his sword, Killian returned her embrace, holding onto her tightly.

"What the hell are you doing?" he said jokingly as he held her. "You're depriving me of a dashing rescue."

Emma drew back, smirking at him. "Sorry. The only one who saves me is me. Speaking of which..."

She pulled her mother's ring from her finger and holding it up. "I'm not gonna be around much longer unless we find where this belongs."

Charming came forward. "I think that belongs to me."

Emma gave him the ring before looking at the group. "You guys have a way out of here?"

"Follow me," Red said. "Snow told me where to meet her."

They made their way through the castle, Killian, Charming, and Red disposing any guards they came across. Moving down one corridor with a large window overlooking the courtyard, Killian stopped, a fearful look on his face. Emma came to stand by him, wondering why he stopped.

"What is it?" she asked him. "Did you find Snow?"

"I'm afraid so," he responded in a dark voice when Emma looked out the window.

In the courtyard a stake was set up, with the Evil Queen standing in front of it, fireball in hand. Guards surrounded the small area around them, ready to oversee the Evil Queen carry out her execution of Snow White.

"We have to get down there before it's too late," Emma said urgently, looking over to Charming.

His voice was hopeless. "I don't think we can."

Emma's voice grew weak as tears started to stream down her face. "No."

Killian grabbed on to her, holding her to his chest, his own heart aching for her. Emma clung to him, tears falling freely, as she watched the flames engulf her mother.

Red shed her cloak, transforming back into a wolf, howling in her pain.

Charming kept his eyes on the flames as he spoke, is voice broken. "Come on. We have to go."

He and Red lead the way out, followed closely by the woman who Emma broke out of her cell. Emma and Killian followed last, neither letting go of each other as they left the castle and Snow's pyre behind.

* * *

They made camp back where Killian and David had waited earlier, rekindling the small fire. Most of the others had spread out, looking for supplies for the night, leaving Emma and Killian alone.

Emma sat on one of the fallen logs, watching the flames dance in front of her, tears still falling down her face. Killian sat close beside her.

"After my brother passed," Killian said looking down as Emma turned her red-rimmed eyes to him, "all I could do was relive that final, terrible moment."

He shook his head, meeting her eyes. "Don't do that to yourself, love. All we can do on times like these is try to live in the here and now."

Emma realized something as soon as the words left Killian's lips. "Here and now. I'm still here. How is that possible? We saw her die."

Killian's blue eyes held the same stunned expression, trying to figure out himself how Emma was still sitting before him.

"Which means I would never be born," she continued.

"You should've faded from existance," Killian said.

"Exactly," she replied.

Killian sounded like he was fighting the hope rising in his voice. "Well, then perhaps..."

Emma didn't hide the hope in her voice. "She's still alive?"

She quickly rose, beginning to pace. She turned to him. "If Snow is out there, we have to find her."

Killian sighed as he swatted away a bug that whirled around his head. "Cursed vermin. We should head back to the Queen's castle. Take a look around. Perhaps it's a trick by Regina."

"No," Emma responded. "Whatever happened, Regina thinks Snow is dead.

The bug left Killian, landing on Emma's cloak. He glared at it. "Stay still, love."

"Wait!" Charming yelled, running toward them. "Don't harm that thing. When we were coming to rescue you, Snow told me what her dust would do to the Queen. She said it would turn her into a form that could be easily squashed- a bug."

He reached out, carefully plucking the bug off Emma's cloak.

"You think Snow turned herself into that?" she asked him.

"Well, if she timed it right, she could've escaped that fireball. Faked her death, and flown away." He responded. He smiled as the small ladybug crawled on his finger, seeming to yell at him. "Yeah, that's her. Just need to find a way to bring her back."

He and Emma leaned in, trying to figure out what Snow was saying.

"She's saying something," Charming said.

"Wonderful," Killian said without humor. "Anyone fluent in bug?"

"She's calling for me," a feminine voice said from above them.

"Blue," Emma greeted happily as the Blue Fairy decended on them.

Blue looked at Emma. "That's right. And you are...?"

"Leia," Emma responded immediately.

Blue chuckled. "No, that's not it."

Emma and Killian exchanged a nervous look.

"But your secrets can be yours," Blue told her. "I sense it's better that way."

"Can you bring Snow back?" Red asked.

Blue sighed. "Dark magic did this to her. Light magic can undo it."

She merely waved her hand, and in a flash, Snow White stood in front of them.

Emma broke out into a wide grin. "You're alive!"

She rushed toward her mother, hugging her.

"Oh!" Snow gasped.

When Emma drew back to look at her mother, she saw the look of surprise on Snow's face, like she didn't know Emma. She looked at Emma, unsure. "It would appear so. Thank you."

As she went to Red, Emma realized that Snow didn't in fact know her. The thought hurt. Quietly, Killian moved to stand beside Emma as the rest of the group left.

He gave her a gently smile. "Looks like we're back on track, love."

He wiped away the fresh tears that were rolling down Emma's face, earning a soft smile in return.

"Yeah," she replied.

She moved toward where she staked out her spot to sleep in the small camp, settling down. Killian moved to remain by her in his own spot. He handed her his coat to cover herself with as she slept.

"Do you wish to talk about it?" he asked her gently.

Emma shook her head. "No. Not now."

The cold of the forest seeped in, a chill in the air settling over them despite the fire. Emma began to wonder if perhaps the reason she was so cold there was because she wasn't used to it, having always lived in a world with modern amenities. She wondered too if the cold wasn't just physical, but emotional. Besides wanting warmth, she wanted Killian's comfort. She knew she shouldn't, but she was tired of fighting. She wanted him to just hold on to her as she came undone, the stress of everything finally catching up to her.

She peeked over at him, seeing he still settling in. Tentatively, Emma rose and moved to where he rested. As she sat beside him, he looked up, confused.

"It's cold," she said. "And well..."

"What about your parents?" he asked, peeking over and Snow and Charming a little ways away.

She swallowed. "They dont know who I am."

He nodded, understanding filling his eyes. He held out his arms for her.

Not missing a beat, she sunk down, melting into Killian's warm embrace. He layed them back down, Emma resting her head on his chest. Reaching down, he wiped away the few tears that still escaped her.

"Good night, Killian," she whispered as she nestled herself into his side, moving his coat and her cloak to cover them both.

"Good night, Swan," he responded as he held her close to him.

Even if just for the moment, Emma felt free of her worries and safe as she slept in his embrace.

* * *

Emma sat, leaning against Killian as the group began to split up. She gave him a smile as Snow began to thank Charming.

"They're warming up to each other," she told him, pleased. "This is good. This'll work."

"That may be, Swan," he replied. "But we have another problem."

He indicated to the woman that was imprisoned with Emma.

"Well, I had to save her," Emma said defensively.

Killian didn't argue. "Sure, you did the noble thing. But she's supposed to be dead. Her presence in the Enchanted Forest could have unforeseen consequences."

"She's just a sweet, innocent woman," she said.

"What is she had a child who grows into a mass murderer?" he asked. "Or she gets tipsy some night and rides her horse into one of the dwarves and there's only six of them? Who knows? We're best not finding out. She doesn't belong here."

An idea struck Emma. "I know what we can do."

Killian looked at her curiously. She met his gaze. "Take her with us."

Killian contemplated for a short moment. He cocked an eyebrow. "I think that may just work."

Together, they approached the woman and carefully told her what they needed to. As they both suspected, she put up a fight.

"All due respect," she said, "but I _don't_ trust you. Or believe you, so unless you're kidnapping me, I'm going to go find my family."

Killian watched as Emma moved behind the woman, grabbing a piece of the fire wood they hadn't used.

Emma swung and hit the woman in the back of the head, effectively knocking her out. Killian caught her, carefully laying her down before turning back to Emma.

"Well, then, I guess we're kidnapping you," Emma said as she tossed the wood.

Killian laughed, wagging his finger at her. "I always knew there was a little pirate in you, Swan."

Emma grinned proudly.

Charming came up to them, looking at the woman. "What happened to her?"

"She's, uh, resting," Emma replied. "What's up?"

"Have either of you seen Snow?" he asked them. "She went to the stream, but she hasn't-"

He stopped, feeling that the purse with the ring was missing. "The ring! She took it!"

"Really?" Emma asked, trying to sound surprised. One look from Killian told her she wasn't doing a very good job. "Do you know where she might be headed?"

"She was seeking passage on a pirate ship," he responded. "There's only one way to get to the harbor from here- the Troll Bridge."

* * *

Hunching down to peer through the branches, they watched as Snow gave Charming his ring back, only after trying in it on in front of him. Emma chuckled to herself, blinking back new tears. This time, they were from joy.

Killian looked at her, seeing the tears. His voice was a whisper. "It's okay, Swan. Not everyone gets a chance to watch their parents fall in love."

She glanced at him for a moment, giving him a soft smile.

"They're heading away from each other?" Killian said, confused and concerned as Snow and Charming went opposite directions.

"No, it's okay," Emma told him. "That's how it happened the first time. It took my parents a while to accept their feelings."

Killian watched her parents leave. His tone was fond. "Must run in the family."

Emma peeked up at him, knowing exactly what he wasn't saying. She didn't even know why she fought with him and herself for so long. She knew that no matter what, she would find her way to him, and he to her. If anything, this trip proved it. Maybe it was time that she did finally just admit to herself how exactly she felt about her pirate.

She rose up, shifting to grab the storybook from his satchel. Moving so they could both see it, Emma opened the book, watching as the blank pages filled themselves with new images.

"Look," she told Killian in relief.

"We did it," he replied, his tone matching hers.

* * *

They stood in the Dark One's vault, Emma holding the fairy's wand as Killian held the still unconsious woman over his shoulder.

"No," Emma exhaled as Killian layed the woman down on one of the tables.

He passed by a mirror and stopped, admiring his reflection. "Oh. Well, at least he did us one favor."

He turned back to Emma, grinning widely. "I'm devilishly handsome again."

"Wait. Don't touch anything!" Emma yelled when she saw Killian pick up an urn. "If Rumple's afraid of this stuff, there's gotta be a reason."

Killian set the urn down, holding his arms out in a peace offering. "I'm just trying to figure a way out."

Emma looked away from him, her voice defeated. "I don't think there is one. And what's the point? You heard what he said. We can't reopen the portal."

"All he said we need is magic," he told her. She turned to look at him. "You're the Savior, Swan. You can do it."

"Not anymore," she replied. "I lost it."

"When Zelena died, all of her spells were undone," he protested. "Your powers should've been restored."

Emma grew frusterated. "Believe me, if I could make it work, I would. I want this to work."

She stepped closer to him, buring her head into his shoulder. Killian stood, surprised, before wrapping his arms around her, trying to comfort her.

"I want to go back," she told him, her voice slightly muffled against his coat. "I want to stop running. I decided before we even left Storybrooke that I wanted to stay."

"What's changed your mind?" he asked her.

"Alot of things," she evaded, not ready to confess to him some of the reasons yet. "But watching my mother die."

He looked at her, immediately remembering how he held her as she cried the previous night, how broken she was.

"Thinking she was dead..." she continued. "You say what happened. I was so relieved when she was okay. And I hugged her. And do you know what I saw in her eyes? Nothing." Her voice broke as she pulled back enough to look at his face. "She didn't know who I was. I had saved her and lost her, too. And that's what I've been doing to her since I met her. It's got to stop. When Henry brought me to Storybrooke, he told me I was the Savior. I didn't see what he was really doing. He was not bringing me back to break a curse. He was bringing me home. Storybrooke. It's my home."

Killian glanced down before giving Emma a proud smile.

"What?" she asked him.

"Look down," he told her.

Holding up the wand, he saw it alight with a white glow. Her jaw dropped as she looked at him.

"I'd say you've got your magic back," he said. "Now, shall we go home?"

Emma moved past him, looking at the space she had to work with. She closed her eyes as she held up the wand, consentrating.

With the sound of magic filling the air, the portal opened. Emma opened her eyes, relieved to see their way back home.

Killian looked at her proudly. "Well done, Swan."

* * *

Emma walked out of Granny's away from her family at the party in the diner, happy to be back home. Despite being with her parents and son again, someone was missing.

She found Killian in the small courtyard, sitting at one of the tables.

She sat down beside him. "So... do you think Rumplestilskin is right? I'm in the book now."

Killian gave her a small grin.

"He said everything, besides our little adventure, would go back to normal," she continued. "Do you think that it is?"

He looked down at his flask resting on his leg. "He's right. Otherwise I'd remember that damn bar wench I kissed."

They exchanged smiles.

"How would that prove anything?" Emma asked him.

Killian's blue eyes met her green ones. "I know how you kiss. I'd have gone after her. But I didn't. My life went on exactly the same as before."

She hummed. "Yeah, must've been the rum."

He swallowed before meeting her eyes again. "Everything's back to normal. You're a bloody hero, Swan."

She chuckled. "So are you." He looked down, away from her. "I wanted to thank you, Killian."

He looked up at her again, their eyes meeting.

He voice was soft. "For going back for me in the first place in New York. If you hadn't..."

"It was the right thing to do," he responded.

Emma looked at him, finally deciding to ask what she'd always been curious about. "How did you do it? How did you get to me?"

Killian took a breath. "Well, the curse was coming.I ditched my crew and took the _Jolly Roger_ as fast and as far as I possibly could to outrun it."

"You outran a curse?" she asked skeptically.

He shook his head, his tone light. "I'm a hell of a captain."

He grinned as she chuckled.

His voice grew serious again. "And once I was outside of the curse's purview, I knew that the walls were down. Transport between the worlds was possible again. All I needed was a magic bean."

"Those are not easy to come by," she said.

"They are if you've got something of value to trade," he responded, looking down again.

"And what was that?" she asked, a small grin on her face.

He finally looked back into her eyes, giving her a smile. "Why, the _Jolly Roger,_ of course."

Emma felt all of the air leave her lungs as the grin slipped from her face. His ship, that had been his home for the past three-hundred years. And he gave it up just for the chance to find her. He really did love her. She felt her heart swell. "You traded your ship for me?"

Killian nodded gently, his voice soft. "Aye."

Emma leaned forward, gently pulling Killian to her to kiss him. She placed her hand on his neck as he rested his against her hair. When their lips met, she moved her hand to card it through his soft dark hair. He kissed her back, both of them expressing to each other what words couldn't. The kiss was different than the one from Neverland, this one filled with promises of love. When they finally broke apart, they rested their foreheads together, their noses touching.

They looked in each others eyes for a moment before Killian moved to capture her lips back to his. As they kissed beneath the fairy lights, Emma couldn't help but think that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be loved by Killian Jones, and for her to love him in return.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, the final chapter of the first fic I've ever written is complete. I just want to say thank you to all my readers, and I hope you enjoyed Fighting the Embrace. And I want to say a huge thank you to my beta, SallyJayne, who I send all my work to and harass constantly with my ideas.
> 
> I will be posting the first chapter of the new story I'm working obsessively on, Gentlemen of Fortune, tomorrow if anyone is interested. I will just give a fair warning that it will be very dark. If you do read Gentlemen of Fortune, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it.
> 
> Thank you again to all my readers.
> 
> Review?

**Author's Note:**

> Review?


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